Semua Jalan Kita Mesti Jalan
by rosecolouredheart
Summary: Dalam bahasa melayu
1. Chapter 1

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter One

The place was strange. Familiar and yet at the same time utterly alien. It was a bizarre castle to look upon, the numerous towers reaching up high into the sky yet the mirror-like, water-filled moat making the towers look as though they burrowed deep into the ground. The topsy-turvy place was enough to make even the most logical head spin; it was so unpleasant on the eye.

No one was around. The brooding place, with it's darkened stonework, out of control vines and tragic decay still seemed to hold a little something that spoke of it's long lost beauty. Once proud trees stood barren and broken, their limbs torn off, their flowers and leaves turned to dust. Heart-warming happiness had dwelt here but was now lost. Could it be reborn? There was no one around to provide an answer.

Something dark, however, permeated the air and that something slowly sapped what little life remained away from this once loved place. The sky above may have been a brilliant blue but there was a falseness to it, like an aged oil painting that was beginning to crease and crack at the edges. The unnatural rapidity with which the clouds streamed overhead was as unsettling as the castle's mirror image and one was forced to look away for their own well being.

A frail wind swept over the unsettling scene but everything remained untouched by it. This place was a bizarre tableau of timelessness.

All it took was one, single crack and then suddenly the castle walls were torn asunder, chunks of stone and mortar raining from the sky. And with its destruction came a long, piercing, agonised cry of loss as something unseen mourned, the frenzied emotion overcoming the sounds of destruction.

Many small, darting figures pulled themselves from the wreckage. They had a name, a purpose and a power that was to be feared.

Sora knew the name.

The Heartless had been here.

But where was here? Had he really been here before?

Sora awoke sharply, as if something had disturbed him, to the familiar sound of sea birds cawing out to each other. With each breath he took his nostrils were filled with the salty scent of the ocean. This wasn't his home but the place's ability to conjure up pleasant memories of Destiny Islands made it both a comfort and a hurt all at once. It had been such a long time since he'd been home…sometimes he feared he was forgetting things about his birthplace.

Sora, Donald and Goofy were currently staying in the small fishing village of Brighthelmston where they were taking a small break before hopping back onto their gummi ship and carrying on to whatever world greeted them next. The village was a nice place – full of cheerful, bustling people who knew all their neighbours and always welcomed an outsider with open arms. The village's buildings were all small and densely packed together but any sense of claustrophobia was erased by its friendly nature. Where there wasn't a smiling face in the window, there was home with a flower box in beautiful bloom or a shop with a lovingly constructed display of goods. Nothing had been amiss in this place but the three friends had been short on supplies and needed a place to rest for a little while. After all there was only so long anyone could go on without taking a few days to relax and this quaint, wonderfully peaceful and sunny place had been perfect.

Wait…

His mind suddenly noticed the lack of light. Sitting up in his inn bed, Sora turned to the window next to him and pulled the curtains apart. Night greeted him, moon and stars sparkling over the rippling sea that provided the inhabitants with their main livelihood. There were small farms just outside the village but fishing was the prevalent source of income for these people.

The night was balmy and Sora, who was in the habit of sleeping with a window open, heard the hushed sound of the villagers' concerned voices in the air. Something had disturbed the peace greatly, for Brighthelmston was a place where honest people worked hard all day and slept well at night.

"Donald, Goofy, wake up!"

Without waiting for them to awaken, Sora cast Fire and lit their inn room's oil lamps. Goofy, half asleep, attempted to rise out of bed but hit the ground hard with his blankets twisted around his legs.

"Uh, Sora? Whatcha doin'?" he mumbled sleepily from the ground.

Sora didn't stop to answer. He was busy tugging on his clothes – which had been purchased in Brighthelmston so that he fitted in a little better with the villagers – as Goofy extricated himself and Donald finally sat up looking haughtily offended by the nighttime awakening.

"Where are you going?" the magician demanded, folding his feathered arms.

Sora, not paying full attention, tossed his white sleeping shirt and grey shorts over his head and further irritated the duck when the landed, quite neatly, upon his head. "Something's going on," he explained, tugging a blue belt around the waistline of his black pants. His normal clothes remained on the gummi ship. When they had first arrived in Brighthelmston Sora's bright red clothes made him stick out like a sore thumb in a village where darker clothes were the norm. Seeing as no one was to know that the three came from other worlds, Sora had had a wardrobe change forced upon him. "We need to check it out," he added, his voice slightly muffled as he tugged a deep blue t-shirt over his head. Reaching over to his bedside cabinet, he grabbed his crown pendant and put it on, refusing to go anywhere without it (unless Donald's magical transformations made it necessary). "I'll meet you outside."

Leaving one companion half asleep and the other quite in a tizzy, Sora ran down the inn's wooden staircase, careful not to knock any of the framed pictures flying as he went by. Grabbing his black boots from beside the door, yanking them on and slapping the buckles closed, Sora hopped into the street. Pyjama-clad people stood in little groups on the cobbled street that ran up the village's main street up to the farms and down to the docks. Women attempted to soothe wailing infants and children chattered animatedly in their friendship groups. Whatever was going on it was definitely far out of the norm.

Not knowing exactly who to ask, Sora just followed the direction people's eyes and pointed fingers kept indicating at: the docks.

"Sora! Sora wait!"

Stopping and turning around, Sora saw Donald and Goofy running to catch up.

"So, d'ya know what's happening yet?" Goofy asked, walking on Sora's left while Donald took the right. "These people seem mighty put out by somethin' tonight."

"I'm not sure really. But I think we'll find out once we get to the docks."

"Better be good," Donald grumbled.

Silently the three made their way to the dock, passing by small family homes as well as bakeries, butchers and numerous pubs as they went. People hung out of windows and leaned out of doors, trying to catch a glimpse of what was going on. There was a definite hubbub of murmured curiosity but no one seemed to stray too far away from their warm homes and familiar companions.

Something very out of the ordinary was happening. Sora frowned a little, his right hand tightening ever so slightly in readiness to summon the Keyblade that, since the sealing of Kingdom Hearts, remained in its true form of the Kingdom Key. Thankfully it had retained all the power and attributes supplied by the Keychains he had received. It was an interesting twist to the Keyblade and reminded Sora that it had chosen him and, ultimately, it was the Keyblade that made many important decisions. How it did so, Sora had no idea…and he wasn't too sure anyone could clue him in… Except maybe King Mickey but… Sora abandoned that line of thought. It always left him feeling so many bad emotions – from sadness all the way down to guilt.

Suddenly they were at the docks and it was then that everything became a little clearer. The people here seemed a little more clued up on what was going on. Sora could feeltheir anxious anticipation like many tiny pinches over the back of his neck. Carefully pushing his way through the buzzing crowd, Donald and Goofy close behind, Sora approached the focal point of the crowd's attention.

A large group of burly men, clearly experienced fishermen, were hurriedly detaching ropes and hauling anchors from a well-sized fishing boat while yelling back and forth to each other and the anxious crowd.

"We'll get a better idea when we're closer!"

"Move it men! There ain't a moment to waste. Get rowing 'cause this ship's not movin' itself and there ain't time to stoke the engines!"

Finally free of the crowd, standing on the very edge of the dock, Sora saw what it was that had so disturbed the people of Brighthelmston.

"Whoa."

On a small little island, barely a mile out from the docks, a light unlike anything nature had to offer shone in blue brilliance. It flickered and waved in the sky like a shimmering ribbon, ducking and weaving around itself as if caught in a playful breeze.

"What is that?" Donald asked no one in particular.

But Sora knew. He'd seen it before, so many years ago on a strange night on Destiny Islands. "It's a meteor. A meteor must have crashed down from the sky." The blues blazed eerily on the water. "I think we'd better check it out too."

Before Donald or Goofy could enquire further, Sora went back a few steps and then took a running leap. He landed, quite gracefully, on the boat's deck. Surprised, everyone looked at him. Donald and Goofy landed behind him, further shocking the stilled crew. The largest, darkest haired and heavily bearded man stepped out from the small cabin towards the rear of the ship. Wearing a thick black sweater, that served to bring out the grey of his deep-set eyes, and raggedy trousers that were hanging over steel-capped boots, he was the living image of all the pirate tales Sora's mother had read to him when he'd been very young. The man towered over Sora, who barely reached the sailor's chest. Childish fear rose up for a moment before Sora's maturity overrode it and he met the man's eyes firmly.

"Sorry for just jumping aboard uninvited but…uh…my friends and I really need to go with you."

The man cast his stony eyes over the group and Sora managed to swallow a gulp. The heavy man drew himself up, rolling back his sleeves as he did so and Sora mentally prepared to fight. To the boy's complete surprise, he found himself being patted heavily on the back and his ears were full of throaty laughter.

"Well, well, well who'da thought it! Saw y'round town," the man explained, waving at the other men to continue rowing while drawing Sora, Donald and Goofy into his cabin above which the helmsmen stood with his hands gripping either side of the ship's wheel and making minute course adjustments every so often. "Thought there might be somethin' a little more special to yeh than run o' the mill travellers."

"Well, just a little," Sora replied, his smile somewhat nervous despite the man's friendly disposition so typical of this village. "Mister…"

The man took a seat and indicated for his audience to do the same. "Name's Dan. Cap'n Dan. And you are…"

"I'm Sora and these are my friends Donald and Goofy. Anyway, I don't know if I can do anything to help Captain but I've seen something like this before back home on my wo…er…island."

"Island yeh say?"

"It's a long way away," Sora said vaguely.

"Very far," Donald added.

"Yup, sure is a long way back home," Goofy said exaggeratedly. "Long, long…"

"Well, if yeh can give us any help we'd be greatly appreciating it," Captain Dan continued regardless. "Can't say much ever happens in…"

The boat gave a sudden lunge, as if a great hand gripped one end and tugged it down. Charts, fishing nets and spears, furniture and people went tumbling everywhere. Sora found himself lost beneath a pile of sea charts and other stray items of nautical equipment but shoved them all away as he pulled himself to his feet. The Captain had already left the cabin and Sora spied a very dazed Goofy leaning up against a wall where the muffled sounds of a very irked wizard could be heard.

"Come on you guys!" Sora called before picking his way across the cabin and out onto the deck.

Water was everywhere, covering the deck so deeply Sora feared the ship was sinking. Colossal waves rose up and crashed down, taking a few unlucky men with them, overwhelming their frail bodies with walls of water. The sky above was utterly calm – there was no storm at all – and yet those eerie, ribbon-like curtains of light still danced all about, twirling gracefully. Sora locked his arms around the boat's railings to keep himself on deck even as the water, seemingly controlled by the flaring lights above, tugged at his feet.

"What's goin' on?" Goofy asked, appearing from the cabin. Behind him, a very dishevelled Donald was struggling to get his footing on the rickety deck.

"Must be something to do with the meteor!" Sora called back over the sounds of the pounding waves. "But I don't remember this happening before!"

Captain Dan was yelling orders but whatever they were, his voice was lost beneath a cacophony of bellowing waves. Worse than that was the ear-piercing screech the light seemed to give off, the sound so unendurable it was enough to make one or two sailors dive into the water, desperate for release. Covering his ears, Sora stumbled toward the starboard side of the boat. It was closer to the little island where the meteor could just be seen, its black outline a stark contrast to the blue firelight that engulfed it. Swelling seawaters bit into the fire but instead of diminishing the blue flames, they seemed to become part of its ever-growing ethereal brightness. Unable to look directly at it, for it caused great pain, Sora kept his head down and made his way carefully over to the Captain who was helping his men secure themselves to the deck with ropes and fishing lines or whatever else could be fashioned into a safety line.

"You've got to turn the ship around and get out of here!" Sora yelled over the din.

"Get to the helm!" the Captain roared, friendly demeanour lost in the face of such lethality. "If my man ain't there, get us away y'self boy!"

Nodding, Sora turned and headed back the way he came. What Sora couldn't see, his other senses provided notions for him. The building pressure on his entire body was twisting his stomach and laying far too heavily upon his heart. It seemed hell itself was being unleashed and wrapping itself around him in a crushing embrace.

And just when he thought his ears would begin to bleed and his heart would cease to beat, all fell silent and everything unnatural fell away from his body. The ocean stilled, the light dimmed and the boat suddenly came to a rest, as though it were a fixture on dry land. For a moment, everyone stood with looks of tentative hope on their otherwise horrified faces. A few of the skeleton crew that remained stood in tears, falling to their knees in the light of silent salvation.

"Get up! Get up!" Donald yelled. "This isn't over!"

Sora knew Donald wasn't wrong. "He's right! Move, get the ship away now!"

Using the lull as an opportunity, Sora made a desperate sprint to the unmanned helm. The man he'd seen before had gone, probably another unfortunate soul who'd been swept overboard. Goofy followed, helping Sora turn the heavy wheel so the ship began to face the way it had come. The pressure was beginning to build again, the ocean's lap upon the boat slowing growing, the shrieking coming back as if over a great distance. A wind was stirring too, uncoiling like an elegant cat ready to chase its meal with deadly haste.

"Don't just sit there! ROW!" Donald ordered before waddling at top speed toward the hatch that led below deck. "I'll get the engine started!"

The Captain looked as dumbfounded as his few remaining men at the sight of the three strangers taking charge. But the incandescent blue was growing deeper and deeper, blue to purple to maroon to black. "Do it now! Row for yer lives if you wan' t'see your chil'ren again!"

Shocked into action, the men began to row, the Captain taking an empty spot and throwing his all into it. Sora watched with a terrible, gut-wrenching fear. Still turning the wheel as fast as he and Goofy could, Sora couldn't stop one thought from dancing with sly horror through his mind. This world is being destroyed! He dared a glance back and the sight that met his wide blue eyes made his heart plummet. The meteor was a glowing sphere of multicoloured light, drawing in debris from the small island and, to Sora's distress, the bodies of the lost. This place…how could the Heartless be here when he sensed nothing because there simply wasn't even a single Heartless anywhere? Another shock jolted Sora as he watched on. Weaving golden light traced a familiar shape in the very centre of the meteor, where the island was now almost completely destroyed.

"The Keyhole! Goofy do you see it?"

"Uh…if y'say it's there Sora I believe ya."

"There has to be a way…There's gotta be a way to stop this Goofy. This world won't last!"

He didn't realise he'd released the wheel until Goofy gave a cry and there came the barely audible sound of the knight desperately trying to grab the handles and keep pulling. From below deck the muted sound of an engine coughing to life hacked into the air but Sora knew none of it was enough, for where could a boat sail on a sea that was soon to be wiped out? The Keyhole was so far away…did he and the Keyblade have the power to seal it over such a distance?

Summoning his given weapon, Sora stood watching the meteor. He could feel the ship being yanked back towards it, feel the hearts of everyone aboard the vessel and the world itself being drawn ever nearer to oblivion. Defeating Ansem and sealing Kingdom Hearts hadn't been enough. Of course it hadn't. There was another Door that needed to be opened…

A Door that was held in the deepest darkness, where true light slept.

But this world needed sealing. Sora didn't know if it was still possible, given that the world was already shattering, but didn't he have to try? If the boat got much closer, it would be torn asunder and all would be lost.

Closing his eyes, Sora held the Keyblade in both hands and pointed the jagged tip towards the Keyhole. It's starry light pierced through the shadows, the line of light gracefully shooting into the Keyhole. It was then that the true struggle began – Sora and the Keyblade's light were an immensely powerful force but they had never worked against a darkness that was already well on its way to annihilation.

The sea's fury continued unabated, waves lashing at the boat that continued to struggle away inch by inch. Unprotected, Sora should have fallen deep into the waters but a power far beyond him anchored him steady as he fought to seal Brighthelmston's world.

 _I can't give up!_

Black faded to maroon.

Goofy held the wheel tightly, knowing that to let go would mean the deaths of all – the men on the boat, Sora and Donald, and all those families back in the village… Beyond that, the humble knight didn't want to think. He knew that if he believed in his young friend, which he did with an unyielding strength, everything would be just fine.

Maroon to purple.

Donald's fires kept the engines working far beyond their usual capacity although it seemed to be doing nothing to make the ship move any faster. He too knew what failure meant and he too believed in Sora with all his heart.

Purple to midnight blue.

The Captain and his men had their families to think of, their beautiful wives and adorable children. They didn't understand the complexity of it all, knew nothing of Keyblades, Keyholes or the Heartless but they knew something far beyond reckoning was happening and each one hated their inability to fight the threat. But it didn't stop their wills from determining that they would all survive this night.

The sky could be seen again, the blue light growing brighter in colour but dimmer in radiance.

The wavering light coiled around Sora, it's touch unnoticeable. The ocean tumult was finally dying down and the agonising shrieking was silenced. Only one thing was left to be heard – a loud clunk, indicative of a sealed Keyhole that flickered and fell away like water into nothingness.

Weariness drowned Sora, and he fell forwards as the Keyblade gave a bright, warm glow and fell away into the Keychain. He expected to slam into the wooden deck but that was not to be. The light solidified, becoming blue ribbons that bound him. He had no energy to fight as he felt himself being dragged forwards, forwards towards the glowing meteor and away from the boat and his friends. He heard and saw nothing, as the ghostly blue light dragged him down into itself.

Goofy released the wheel and ran, trying to grab Sora before the boy was pulled off the boat. But the knight was too slow and the trick light fuelled by immense power. He watched as Sora was pulled into a light that, as soon as the boy was fully ensnared, faded away.

Sora was gone, and Goofy had no idea how to follow. The boat sailed on, little plumes of smoke rising from the one stack as the engine powered it back home.

But how high a price had been paid tonight? There was simply no telling.

To Be Continued…

Thank you for reading! See you next time


	2. Chapter 2

All The Roads We Have To Walk: Chapter Two

Standing up straight, only slightly unsteadily, certainly felt bizarre with his eyes shut. Having no recollection of closing them, Sora's blue eyes opened. A few seconds after the blurriness passed, he looked around. His froze. His heart thudded and missed a beat.

"No way…"

A familiar place stood around him. Archaic, monastic architecture housed him but odd metallic pipes jutted in and out of walls and floors and ceilings. The symbol of a heart, the crest of the Heartless, carved above what could barely pass for an altar stood silently in front of him. Strangely decorated and somehow hypnotising stained-glass windows let in light that was tinted blue, purple, green…

"…this can't be Hollow Bastion…"

The atmosphere was as oppressive as it had always been…in fact it seemed worse. Everything was covered in a fine layer of dust that stirred furiously with his every tiny footstep. But that didn't make sense at all. If Leon, Aerith and Yuffie had been here when he left where were they now? Granted the castle of Hollow Bastion was enormous but shouldn't there have been some miniscule sign of life to this place? Or had they sealed this area off after Maleficent and Ansem's toying with the Final Keyhole? Whatever the answer, Sora's unease was growing with each passing silent moment.

The huge gaping space was wreathed with shadows that seemed alive, seemed to move with him. He summoned the Keyblade, not prepared to take any chances. Something could be lurking here, waiting for him to make a wrong move.

Nothing seemed to be out of place though, nothing bizarre was staring him in the face and yet there was something not quite right in this gargantuan castle. He took a few steps forward away from the centre of the chapel; it's eeriness crawling over him like thousands of insects.

And where were Donald and Goofy? Sora wracked his mind, trying to recall those last fuzzy moments when he'd been on the boat. How had he come to be here? They'd left Hollow Bastion behind, far behind, months ago and had never accidentally stumbled back upon it. So how was he here again? Here and alone?

A sound from nowhere crept into Sora's ears and he stopped dead, the dust he'd kicked up settling on his boots. What was it, that odd throbbing sound, so far away and yet definitely lurking somewhere in the castle? Somehow Sora knew that whatever it was, it was waiting for him. That thought filled him with fear yet courage didn't abandon him entirely. Swallowing hard, Sora began edging forwards again. With each step, the sound seemed to resonate with his thumping heartbeat. He knew he wasn't the one choosing his way – he was being summoned. There was no voice calling to him, no spell being woven to befuddle his mind. Something was just…pulling him on. He left the chapel and, as he did so, risked a glance backwards. He could see nothing. Darkness had swept down out of nowhere and coated the chamber and hidden all from view. Unnerved, Sora turned away and moseyed on. The feeling of needing to be somewhere else grew in intensity, in urgency. Before he realised it, he was running through hallways and impatiently pacing around lifts as they moved downwards too slowly. His senses kicked back in suddenly at the base of the castle, where Sora found himself standing in the basement having no precise memories of how he'd gotten himself here. Had he awoken out of yet another strange trance, like the one he'd been in while he'd been brought to this empty place? Shadows, wraith-like yet solid, blocked his path back and eliminated his free will. There was only one place to go, one choice to take. Fate had taken on a very literal meaning for the boy.

Once full of water, the sublevel was oddly bone dry. The switches that had moved the randomly placed gates were now far out of reach. New paths, blocked by the solid water previously, were opened up to him and it was one of these where the sound was emanating from, loudly now, like an engine that was idling away. There was still no voice but the sense of a huge presence, far beyond Sora's ability to comprehend life and maybe even death, was a part of that sound. His feet led him to a small, darkened doorway. A flight of stairs spilled into that darkness, where the sound waited.

Donald wouldn't approve of this…

Sora took a step down. Then another. And another.

And Goofy sure would worry…

Jogging down the stairs, Sora got further and further from any source of light. His hands instinctively reached out to touch something to balance himself but there were no walls to grab. There was nothing by teeming darkness around him. He was very alone.

The sound grew louder. Sora's desperation to reach it spurred his feet on and blindly he took the stairs two or three at a time. He had to find it, had to reach it and discover why it was calling to him. What purpose did it have in store for him? There had to be some reason for it, some distinct cause.

Something couldn't come from nothing.

The stairs ended and there was light. Sora forced his impulsiveness away and slowed himself to a walk. But every part of his mind and body was on edge, ready to run into the thick of things. Even his teeth grinded at the prospect of finding something in this place, the something that might as well be screaming at him. He couldn't explain how utterly drawn to the sound he was. Sora was fully aware of what he was doing and yet he moved as though in a trance. His actions were dictated and he followed without complaint. But where he found himself, in a place so full and yet utterly desolate, caution called to his better judgement. Shudders worked their way through him, alternating between icy cold and scalding hot.

This place was Ansem's lab – the place where so many Heartless had been created and the place where those thoughts of joining the darkness had been born in the man's heart. This was the place calling out to Sora…But why? There wasn't anything here. No Heartless, certainly no Ansem and no familiar dangers of any kind. Yet still he gripped the Keyblade tightly, every sense so hyper-aware that nothing would pass by without his knowing it.

The place was familiar – after all he'd been here before thanks to the End of the World and it's portals. He recognised the odd machines he couldn't name and the terrifying capsules with their obvious purpose: the creation of more Heartless. But now they appeared quite dormant…and yet the sound had been coming from around here…was still coming from around here. But how? Why? Where from? What was waiting here?

And then he remembered. In this place, when the End of the World had shown it to him and his friends, there had been a part of it sealed off by a huge Heartless crest. Shoes screeching on the tiled floor, Sora ran out of the lab and back into the hallway. His route lost to shadows that were already encroaching on the lab's entrance, Sora looked down the hallway. His heart gave a twinge and his chest and muscles tightened. Yes, that was it. That was where he had to go.

Unable to control his frantic state, Sora belted down the hallway. The shadows slunk up behind him, chasing his footfalls with an almost cognisant intent. He burst through an archway, at the peak of which was carved yet again the Heartless crest but he paid it no heed, even though it was faintly glowing and thin streams of golden light were waving around it.

Sora found himself standing in a chamber about the same size as the Secret Place back on Destiny Islands. The ceiling, held aloft by four obsidian pillars, stretched high above his head, a familiarly patterned window the centrepiece. His eyes remained on it for a moment, remembering that feeling of falling through water and watching that same pattern grow further and further away. But those dreams had been so long ago now.

Stirred by the sound, Sora's eyes finally found the source. In the centre of the room was a pool of water that rippled gently and glimmered with a light that pulsed with the sound that had brought him to this place. It's water reflected an image, an image that certainly wasn't to be found anywhere in this unholy chamber. A half-choked laugh of disbelief hit the air. This day was going from wacky to insane. He stepped up to the pool, and the sound finally fell away. Sora shivered and wrapped his arms around himself, feeling as though a blanket had been tugged away from him. Able to breathe a little easier, Sora inspected the image a little closer.

Before he could speak the image's name aloud, something shoved into him from behind. Falling and twisting at the same time, Sora saw nothing but the darkness that had followed him down and down into the castle's bowels. No person stood there, no Heartless either. Just darkness that seemed to be aware of his every move and aware of what it wanted him to do, where it wanted him to go.

Hitting the water back first, Sora was surprised when the shallow pool rose up all around him and dragged him down and down and down into it's hidden depths. Light faded away, the strangely patterned window grew smaller and smaller and everything became distant to his mind until the darkness was complete and there was nothing left to be aware of.

It was the overwhelming need to breathe that drew Sora out of his numbed state. Arching upwards, he felt his head break through water and he gasped air into his oddly empty lungs. Rolling over to his hands and knees, Sora was confused to find himself resting upon solid concrete, not even a mere drop of water below him. An icy gust blew over his body and, feeling able to do so, Sora got to his feet and looked around.

It was Traverse Town.

But the once inviting town was utterly derelict. The perpetual night he knew had given way to a miserable grey cloud cover, the colour of which seemed to infect all the buildings and cover them in dourness. Not a single shop had even one light glowing and the once warm streetlamps were shattered and useless. The caf's tables and chairs were in total disarray; most were little more than splinters caught up in the wind and tossed around until they littered the town centre.

"Hello? Is anyone here?"

The wind caught his voice and fled to the farthest corners of the First District. Nothing stirred, save the rubbish and the door to the Item Shop that banged tiredly on busted hinges. Walking up the stairs, Sora stood in front of the Accessory Shop. Unable to stop himself, despite knowing he wouldn't find Cid within, Sora pushed against the rotting door and entered.

The door's groan as it twisted on its rusting hinges masked the pitter-pattering of footfalls behind him.

Sora had to hold the door open with a piece of wood so he could get enough light into the building for him to see by. The shop's interior was dismal. The chair had collapsed under the weight of it's own decay; the shelf to Sora's left had tilted dramatically to the right and would soon hit the ground. The countertop, where that fascinating crystal had once stood, had been removed for some odd reason and the ladder that led into the Moogles' workshop had snapped and left the lowest end a jagged mess of splintered wood. The fireplace was dead, looking as though no one had been near it in months…possibly years. Just like in Hollow Bastion, a miniscule covering of dust lined every surface and played havoc with Sora's nose.

The wind blew again and Sora heard the tumbling of forgotten trash against the concrete ground outside and the knocking of a door that no person had opened in a very long time.

Sadness swamped Sora's heart as he surveyed the mess. What had happened here? Where had all the people gone? Surely this couldn't have occurred since his last visit here? He kicked a stray piece of the ladder. Could a place fall apart that quickly?

Something breezed over his senses and with a flash of comforting light, the Keyblade materialised in his cold hand. A shadow flitted over the light and Sora swallowed a gasp and edged towards the door. There was something out there, something in this miserable place, something that was as unwelcome as the desolation. Childish fear of the unknown sparked within Sora and it took a great deal of courage for him to ease the door open and slip back out into the open.

Nothing.

Sighing, but still on alert, Sora slipped round the side of the building and lightly ran up the stairs. Pulling his eyes away from the sight of collapsed Gepetto's house, Sora caught sight of a shadow dashing through into the Second District. Following closely but quietly, Sora snuck up the final flight of stairs and looked to the Second District's door. It was shut tight and looked relatively well kept compared to the state of the First District. Walking up to it, Sora dismissed the Keyblade for the moment and placed his hands on the door and pushed.

The door didn't budge. It was locked.

But he'd seen a shadow run up here. Something had come up here and the only place it could've gone was the Second District! Perhaps whatever it was had known Sora was following it and had bolted the door from the other side. Calling the Keyblade back, Sora used its innate power to unlock the door. Once done, Sora pushed against them again and they yielded. He stepped over the threshold into the Second District. Its condition wasn't much of an improvement over the First District. The hotel and Gizmo Shop still stood, every thing was still upright, but no lights shone warmly within, and many of the windows were smashed, the glass shards littering the streets.

Sora peered over the balcony's edge. There! He knew he didn't imagine it! The elusive shadow disappeared down the alleyway that led to the Third District's door.

The wind blew, dragging glass with it that tinkled almost quaintly. But Sora heard something else. There were voices in that wind, ghostly voices whose words were mumbled and incoherent.

Something brushed passed his shoulder and with a cry, Sora stumbled away and looked back just in time to see a strange, mist-like apparition of a man walk through the Second District's quite solid door. Breathing raggedly, terror grabbing his mind wholly, Sora walked backwards rapidly, unable to remove his eyes from the door and yet wanting nothing more than to get far away from it.

A child giggled to his right and Sora looked down to the Second District's lower level. Another cry for another ghost – the sight of a child running through the street enough to bring tears of fear to Sora's wide open cerulean eyes.

Desperate to escape, Sora turned back to the door, the First District suddenly seemingly like a haven compared to this. But a man stood there, a solid man dressed in a tatty black suit stood watching Sora and Sora knew that despite all appearances, he was as ghostly as the others. He tried to take a few more steps forwards but an overwhelming sense of absolute dread washed over him. The man's head didn't move but he seemed to exude death. Getting close to him simply took more courage than any person could have. The line between life and death seemed to be held in the man's ghostly gaze, and it was a line Sora refused to cross.

Sora tried to call for help but his voice was firmly lodged beneath the lump in his throat. Turning again of jittery legs, Sora ran down the stairs. The playful child had gone but his voice remained on the wind. Running for the Third District, Sora didn't dare look up from the ground, his mind too overwhelmed to deal with the sight of any more unreal people.

There had to be an explanation, a reason for all this. There weren't ghosts in Traverse Town…this was all a really weird dream…nightmare…had to be…had to be.

The shabby man was suddenly in front of him, guarding the Third District's door. His homely appearance was matched with his attitude. He didn't look at Sora, kept his head bowed as if in deference, but was the perfect guardsman, as Sora didn't dare to go near him.

The alleyway!

Sora ran, his legs barely holding him up but fed with the power of fear and the need to escape. He didn't dare look to the main door to the First District because he knew the man would be there, just as much as he would be at the door to the Third District. There was no escaping him.

Feet crushing tiny slithers of glass, each footfall sounded as though he were running over ice. At times the shards flew up and dug into his skin, blood making thin tracks down his lightly tanned legs. He made it back out into the open centre of the Second District and looked up to the balcony level. Fear hit his heart again. Countless people stood up there, all of them watching with concealed eyes. There was a hatred thrumming through the air, a jealous hatred that was targeted right at Sora and he didn't know what to do. They were so different from the Heartless and yet there was something oddly akin to them within the soundless spirit crowd.

Sora looked to the alleyway door, and the man was there again, head bowed. Hopelessness gathered within him. He was trapped by something that could be everywhere at once and yet fear paralysed the thought of running past him. To do so would be to risk his life…

But he had to escape, had to get past that man and find a way out of Traverse Town. He could hear footsteps rapidly approaching from behind and all around him the ghostly presences pressed in on him, their deferentially bowed heads hiding eyes that glowered with livid hatred.

There was nothing else for it.

Gathering everything in him that could be called courage, and giving over to that insane part of him that was willing to threaten his life, Sora ran again. He ran for the stairs. The First District had always been free of Heartless, and it too would be free of ghosts. Anywhere, absolutely anywhere, had to be better than the Second District and it's prying eyes and whispering wind.

Terror clawed at Sora's mind, threatening to completely engulf it, as he ran towards the clump of ghosts. Gritting his teeth, Sora ran through them. Ice smashed into him, the chill running through his body and seizing at his heart. The ghosts gathered together and formed a solid wall of themselves all the way from himself to the door. Standing still was not an answer; he could feel his feet fusing to the floor. He couldn't go back either. He didn't want to be stuck in this district, the thought of doing so threatened to bring his mind to an absolute shut down. With a cry of defiance, Sora pushed onwards, the chill growing deeper and deeper. Hands seemed to plunge into him, shadowed faces lurched at him and still the ice within him grew deeper and deeper. His breath crystallised in the air and he could feel his lungs beginning to freeze over. But he didn't stop fighting his breathless way through. Terror and agony were neck and neck within his mind as he swam through the swarm, his eyes locked firmly on the door to his only salvation. The only sound was him – his sharp gasps, his ever-slowing footsteps. The ghosts didn't moan, didn't wail, didn't shriek. Their presence was a silent, crushing sound of it's own. They were a silent, clinging barrier of human-like mist, solid until Sora threw himself through them.

Just when he thought his body would freeze over, he hit the door. Violently shivering, he grabbed the door's handle and pulled. It creaked open and Sora fell through the small gap. He collapsed to the First District's debris littered ground and tried to stop his body from shuddering, his teeth from chattering and his eyes from closing. He was failing miserably. He tried to crawl further away from the door, not wanting to be anywhere near the ghostly place, but fear had robbed even that little amount of strength from him.

His eyes slid shut, just as two shadows fell over him.


	3. Chapter 3

All The Roads We Have To Walk: Chapter Three

This place has not known happiness in a long time.

Frozen people walk the hallways, just as they had chased him, clung to him, through those streets. But here was not there and yet still they remained, waiting for eternity in this desolate place.

He has to keep running!

The hallways are slowly tumbling down in this place he knows and yet doesn't know. Somehow there was a way to stop it, to bring back all the joy and laughter and all the people. But how? Did it lie with those things that clung to him, draped around him, leeched the warmth and life out of his body?

They're chasing him!

Run! Run while you still can!

Don't give in!

This place is full of things, but only one is alive. This once-proud castle has walls that would tell many a mirthful tale of times long past if they could but they are sunken into a slow rot that only happiness can shake off. But the living thing here now…he's far from happy.

He can't get away!

Oh, they're going to get him!

Please, no!

That street, this old castle…both have been affected by the same thing, both are suffering the same loss.

But what is it?

His body is freezing, his limbs refuse to move and he falls. Slippery, icy hands that he can barely see grope his body but he can't fight them off now. He's succumbed to them. He can't even cry out for help because there's no one else here to help him anymore. They've gone and they've been gone for a very long time now.

It's so cold.

All he does is lie and die, his heart twisting and freezing as his confused thoughts finally stop.

No!

"NO!"

With a sharp jerk, Sora bolted upright, gasping for breath. He sat up on a small, narrow bed. Blankets were tossed everywhere and gathered at his bare feet. The room he was in was tiny, barely big enough for the bed. There was a door directly opposite where he sat but the silver metal had no window through which he could see out of. In fact, there was no window of any kind anywhere – just a harsh bulb that glowered and occasionally flickered. Everything was absolutely silent except from his heavy, fearful breathing. He had no idea where he was or how he'd come to be here.

Such a terrible nightmare…

His body was shaking uncontrollably, his heart pounding and his hands were trembling as he hid his face in them. He felt so cold and drained…that dream had been so real, so powerful.

Then he remembered. His stomach twisted and he hugged his knees to his chest to ward off the chill. His blue eyes gazed vacantly at his toes. What had happened to Traverse Town? He shuddered again and his heart thudded at the thought of those things…they couldn't have been ghosts. Ghosts weren't real! They were just things in stories – like all the ones Riku used to tell to scare his younger friends around fires on the beach back home. Sora's stomach plummeted further but he couldn't commit the energy to the positive thinking he usually employed as the remedy to his sadness. All he could think of was those bizarre…beings…in Traverse Town and their silent crushing.

They were not ghosts!

He shivered again, the chill so deep he feared it would never leave. He curled up tighter, not bothering to reach for a blanket as he allowed a single, silly thought to override everything else.

 _I just want to go home._

"Hey, you're finally awake!"

Terrified for no reason, Sora scrambled as far away from whoever it was who'd spoken without bothering to look. Then, realising how pathetic he was being, Sora forced himself to face the person, whoever it may be.

"It's okay, don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you. I know what you've been through so you just take it easy."

The young man stepped forwards, his hands held up in front of him to assure that he meant no harm. He was older than Sora but only by a few years. His loose, dark blond hair reached down to his chin, framing his pale-skinned face that was lit up by his bright blue eyes, which were full of warmth and smiles. His outfit was simple: a hooded, white sleeveless vest, fingerless gloves that wound up to his wrists and a pair of baggy black knee-length pants that were similar to Sora's. A thick brown belt rested around the man's waist and two viciously sharp daggers were sheathed on either side of it. But Sora's eyes were quite firmly locked on the blonde tail that swished freely behind the young man's muscular legs.

"The name's Zidane," the tailed man introduced himself with a smile and an outstretched hand.

Blinking, Sora forced his eyes to meet Zidane's and he took the blond's hand. "I'm Sora."

Zidane sat down next to him, picking up a blanket and handing it to Sora as he did so. "You look cold," he said gently. "I know that feeling. It's bad at the moment, and you can't quite believe what happened but it'll get better, I promise."

Sora wrapped the blanket around himself. "Thanks." He didn't much feel like talking right now, despite how friendly Zidane seemed to be.

"I bet you're wondering where you are huh?"

Sora merely shrugged. He didn't notice the look of concern Zidane flashed him. For now, he was concerned with just feeling warm again.

Zidane wasn't one to let someone wallow endlessly in misery. "Well, this ship is the Highwind. When you're feeling up to it you can come and meet the Captain – she's been pretty worried about you. You've been unconscious for just over a day." No response. "Anywaywe're currently on route to a place called Hollow Bastion. It's one of the safest places left around…"

"Hollow Bastion?" Hope suddenly awakened in Sora. "Are the others there?"

"Others?"

"Yeah, you know, Leon, Aerith and Yuffie?"

"Sorry but I don't know who you mean. I don't know anyone with those names."

Sora sank back. "Oh."

"Anyway yeah, there aren't many safe havens left around anymore. The Heartless pretty much took over everything. They were what got you."

Sora frowned and shook his head. "Those things weren't like any Heartless I've ever seen before." He looked at Zidane. "I know Heartless. They tend to be a little less…ghostly." He swallowed painfully. There, he'd admitted it. Those things were ghosts. Simple.

Then why did he feel so out-of-sorts?

"But that's what the Heartless are – the spectres of people who've had their hearts stolen."

"No, the Heartless are the things that steal people's hearts. They were under the control of a man named Ansem. They come from the darkness in a place called Kingdom Hearts and they always will until the door to the light has been opened."

Zidane looked closely at Sora. "You seem to know what you're talking about."

A wry smile touched Sora's lips. "I should do. I've been fighting the Heartless for a while now." Sora gave a quick, and very basic, overview of his recent past. "And that's how I know that those…those things weren't Heartless."

Zidane grinned widely. "So, you really are the one holding the Key. We thought as much. Perfect."

"How did you know that?"

Patting Sora on the shoulder, Zidane chuckled. "We've been hoping the one with the Key would come soon. Red thought you'd appear in Traverse Town…ha, looks like he was right." Zidane sighed dramatically. "Looks like I lose the bet."

"Huh? Red? Who's that?"

Zidane grinned, happy he'd finally sparked a little more life in Sora. He knew how dangerous it was to allow someone who'd been attacked the way Sora had to sink into despair. That alone could finish them off. Shaking off his own musings, Zidane stood up. "If you're feeling up to it you can come with me and meet everyone. Like I said, we've been pretty worried about you. I've never seen anyone run through as many Heartless as you did. We didn't know if you'd ever wake up. Besides, I bet you want a better view than this place."

Nodding and letting the blanket fall away, Sora accepted Zidane's help in getting to his feet. The older teen kept a hand on Sora's arm, seeming to know that Sora's balance would be a little off. Sora was still shivering from the cold and he wrapped his arms around himself. Zidane, ever attentive, noticed and handed Sora yet another blanket.

"Don't worry – it takes a while for your body to get back to normal."

Gratefully accepting the blanket again, Sora walked with Zidane from the room. "You really know all about this don't you?"

There was something in Zidane's eyes, pain and a look so sad, but it flickered back behind his cheerful nature within an instant. "Well…the same thing happened to me once too. And, uh, it's not the kind of experience you forget in a rush you know?"

"Yeah, I know," Sora replied quietly, knowing better than to push the subject further.

Outside the room was a long hallway leading both left and right. Zidane steered Sora to the right, explaining that there were just more cabins to the left. At the end of the hallway a lift waited and, once inside, Zidane pressed a button and they ascended several floors. With a cheery "bing!" the doors slid open and a voice announced their arrival on the bridge. Sora stepped out, Zidane guiding him lightly by the arm. The bridge of the Highwind was huge – far bigger than the gummi ship he, Donald and Goofy had travelled in. There were computer terminals, maps and people in overalls everywhere. However, there was one person in the centre of the bridge who stood out. She wasn't overly tall but she was an athletically built woman with long, deep brown hair restrained loosely near its ends. She wore a short black skirt, brown boots up to her knees and a brown leather jacket over a white mid-riff shirt. Her hands were encased in thick black fighting gloves and from the muscular tone of her entire body, Sora new that this was one woman he would never dare to cross. She walked over to Zidane and Sora, the heels of her boots clicking loudly on the metallic floor.

She smiled at Sora, her amber eyes sparkling. "It's good to see you're awake."

Sora blushed slightly, as he had a tendency to do in front of beautiful women who spoke to him so kindly. "Um…thanks for rescuing me."

"You're very welcome…."

Sora realised he was meant to be talking. "Oh! Sora. I'm Sora."

She smiled. "My name is Tifa. Anyway, I'm just thankful we made it in time. Traverse Town is a dangerous place."

"Yeah, you're lucky we were stopping by," Zidane added. He turned to Tifa who was slight shorter than he. "Looks like we both owe Red all our Gil. He was right about that entire Keyblade thing."

Tifa's eyes widened as she looked at Sora. "You're the Keyblade Master?"

"Uh, yeah."

Tifa smiled sadly. "But you're so young for such a responsibility."

"Hey, I'm fifteen and I know what I'm doing," Sora said defensively. "I'm not just some clueless kid."

"No one said you were Sora," Tifa replied. "It's just…" she shook her head. "No, never mind. Anyway, we're just coming up on Hollow Bastion. When we get there we'll introduce you to Red and then you can rest a little longer while we decide the best course of action. We normally check around the worlds and keep an eye on Heartless activity and pick up any stranded survivors."

"Like me," Sora said distantly, his mind on other things.

"Yeah, like you."

Sora extricated himself from Zidane's hold and strolled over to the bridge's huge screen that showed the space outside. It was nothing like the gummi-strewn routes he'd seen before. There was just darkness and stars. A new chill rose within his heart. He was surrounded by familiar places but they were so completely different to what he expected. Hollow Bastion wasn't a safe haven and how could Zidane not know who Leon, Aeirth and Yuffie were? And since when had Traverse Town been abandoned and inhabited by Heartless? Sora didn't know and Zidane's explanation of what those things had been didn't fit with his definition of Heartless.

 _But calling them ghosts isn't exactly right either…is it? Maybe but…no, they can't be ghosts. Maybe…maybe they're connected to the Heartless somehow._ Sora sighed slightly, his shoulders slumping so very tiredly. _But that doesn't explain why Traverse Town was the way it was… I wish I knew where Donald and Goofy were. I hope they're safe somewhere._

"Sora?" Zidane walked over to Sora. "You okay?"

Sora managed a weak smile. "Yeah, sorry, I was just thinking."

 _A lonely place._

 _Deserted by all._

 _No one to love it._

 _No one to care for it._

 _Left to crumble._

 _Left to die._

"Sora?"

Sora's eyes were round with surprise. He held a cold hand up to the side of his head. "Do you hear a voice?"

Tifa placed a gentle hand on Sora's cheek. "You need to rest. We'll be at Hollow Bastion and once we're there I'll get Red to make sure you're alright. But…there are no voices Sora so don't listen to them."

 _You don't know this place._

 _But so many others do._

 _Can you bring it happiness?_

 _Can you bring anyone happiness?_

 _They need you to._

 _Can you really end the darkness and bring the light?_

… _darkness…_

 _It'll be hard._

… _deep…_

 _But you can do it._

… _darkness…_

 _Everyone you hold in your heart will always believe in you._

"Hey, are you awake?"

Sora opened his eyes and looked to his right, and saw a very relieved smile Tifa's face. She was seated next to him because he was once again flat out on a bed.

"You sure know how to scare people Sora," Tifa mock-chastised, her wide smile removing all reprimand from her tone. "You said you heard a voice and then you just collapsed." Concern glimmered in her eyes. "Zidane and Red think it was just the after effects of the Heartless so you'll be fine. Just stay quiet and rest. No running around."

"Are we…?"

"At Hollow Bastion? Yes."

 _So, I'm in Hollow Bastion again…I can't wait to take a look around…I wonder if…_ Sora gasped quietly. _Maybe that place that called to me is here too!_

"This is one of the rooms in the castle. Ah!" Tifa anticipated Sora's attempt to sit up and effortlessly pinned him down. She was incredibly strong and Sora reminded himself again to never, ever make her angry. "It's the middle of the night anyway so you are going to stay right here and get more sleep. In the morning I'll consider letting you up to take a look around but if you so much as sit up without permission you will be locked in here. Okay?"

Sora gulped. "Yes Ma'am."

Tifa laughed and winked. "Don't be so formal, call me Tifa. And don't worry, I wouldn't hurt you." Sora visibly relaxed. "I just want you to rest because we're going to need your help soon enough."

"Me?"

"Well, you do wield the Keyblade right?"

"Oh." So it was a Keyblade issue. Of course it was. What else could it be? His amazing tree climbing abilities? "What can we do for you?"

"Don't worry, Red will explain it all later. Now, sleep!"

"You know, I'd better meet this Red guy soon," Sora grumbled, rolling onto his side and closing his eyes.

"Oh, you will tomorrow I promise."

Sleep overcame him quickly and Tifa, content to know her new friend was resting comfortably, slipped out the room.


	4. Chapter 4

All The Roads We Have To Walk: Chapter Four

 _I'll be there to watch. To watch and to wait. I'll be there to observe. There's nothing for me to do yet because now is not the time and here is not the place. But I will be watching._

 _I wonder Sora, will you know I'm there?_

Determined to meet this 'Red' person, Sora was seated on the edge of his huge bed just as he heard footsteps approaching his door from outside. He still felt a little cold but compared to the last time, which could've been yesterday or a week ago his sense of time was so off, he was finally starting to feel a little more normal. His sleep had been completely untroubled...apart from a familiar voice whose words were now forgotten. All Sora had was a feeling: not a troubling sensation but just a sort of notion that something was about to happen.

His bedroom door swung open and Zidane strolled in, apparently caring little about his grand surroundings as the door crashed into the wall heavily. This was the castle of Hollow Bastion but its condition was immaculate; the complete polar opposite, in fact, of the Hollow Bastion Sora was familiar with.

"I'm under strict, strict, orders to take you to the library to meet Red." Zidane helped Sora to his feet and then handed him a thick grey sweater. "I figured you might still be cold so feel free to use it until you're feeling better. Oh, Tifa has promised many nasty punishments if I let you take a tour of the castle so it's the library only unless she says otherwise."

Sora smiled as he followed Zidane to the door where he took a minute to pull on his boots that waited there. "I'm feeling a lot better you know."

Zidane patted the younger boy on the shoulder as they walked out of the room. "I'm sure you are but do you really want to irk Tifa? It's not a pretty sight. I mean, she's beautiful and all but there's nothing uglier than an annoyed woman."

"You sound like an expert."

"Well, beautiful women have been known to flock to me."

"Flock?"

"Oh yeah. If they didn't turn to jelly they played hard to get, just like..." Zidane trailed off.

Sora knew that they'd once again hit a sore subject and he quickly sought to change the discussion. "How far is it to the library? We don't want Tifa swooping down on us and dragging us back to my room because she thinks I'm 'tired' or something."

Zidane perked up instantly, although the effort showed in his eyes. "Not far. It's only a few floors down and," the pair stepped out into the castle's large, crystal operated lift area, "we don't have to walk too much."

Everything was so familiar to Sora. This place was still Hollow Bastion but everything here was better somehow – as if the darkness of Ansem and his followers had never touched it. The ugly pipes, damaged walls and sense of abandonment didn't linger in this Hollow Bastion. But how? Everything seemed real yet it couldn't be, could it? How could one place, one entire world, suddenly feel so different? The Hollow Bastion Sora knew lived up to its name: a dull, lifeless world devoid of its inhabitants. This place was thriving. There were other people milling around the castle, smiling and talking with each other on the lift and sitting in rooms being briefed by their leaders. This Hollow Bastion was so alive.

"Sora, you've got that weird look again."

"Wha-?"

Zidane laughed as the pair left the lift and walked down the stairs on the outside wall of Hollow Bastion. "You're thinking again, aren't you? Well, there's no point beating yourself up about something you can't figure out. Just let the answers come."

Sora looked up. The sky above was a cheerful blue and the sun shone brightly, bathing the scene in a warm glow. "Sorry. I just can't stop thinking about this place." Walking over to the balcony, he looked down to the castle's base. Far below, where there had once been a flooded gorge, a bustling village was awakening to the new day. "It's...different. If the building wasn't the same I'd think it was another world."

"Is that a good thing?"

Sora frowned, although he didn't know why. "I guess it's good." Shaking his head, Sora smiled. "Of course it's a good thing. Hollow Bastion is normal again. I don't understand how or why, but it is. And how could that be bad?"

"Exactly!"

The short walk to the library from the outside balcony was silent between the pair, but only because Sora was too busy staring at all the people milling around the castle's main entrance hall to hold any kind of decent conversation.

"This is our main base of operations," Zidane explained as he led the way to the library's big wooden doors. "We have a few other bases on the other safe worlds but this is the big one that co-ordinates rescue missions and keeps a close check on Heartless activity. It's also our main research area."

"Research? Into what?"

"Isn't it obvious? Weapons to defeat the Heartless."

Sora blushed. "Oh."

Zidane pushed the library doors open. It wasn't empty. People stood alone at shelves flicking through books and making notes. Zidane's voice dropped a little to a more respectful level. "Don't worry about it. All the new people get a little amazed by this place the first time they see it."

"Yes, I seem to recall a certain tailed young man running around like an immature brat and occasionally 'borrowing' things he had no permission to touch."

"Aw c'mon Red I'm not so bad."

Looking everywhere, Sora couldn't see the person Zidane talked to. Only when he faced Zidane did Sora realise where he had to look: down. And the fiery-furred creature that stood there with golden, intelligent eyes currently staring pointedly at Zidane was the last thing Sora had expected.

"Zidane you can be thoroughly infuriating and you know it," Red retorted calmly before turning calmly to Sora, who was still staring in amazement at Red's tattoos and bangles. "And who's this?"

Zidane clasped the boy's shoulder. "This is Sora. I'm sure you're brimming with questions to ask him."

Red looked over at Zidane slowly. "And why would that be?"

Zidane frowned. "Didn't Tifa mention him to you?"

That pointed stare was back on the feline-like creature's face. "She mentioned a boy found in Traverse Town but said you had something to tell me last night..."

"I did?" Obviously a memory had suddenly resurfaced. "Oh...I was meant to tell you..."

Sora pushed Zidane out the way and met Red's eyes. "Um, everyone's been telling me about you. I think this is what you might be interested in." The Kingdom Key appeared in his hand with a starlit glow.

Red's eyes widened in dumbfounded amazement and Zidane nudged the four- pawed being with his foot. "You can drop that mature act now."

"Act?" Red spluttered. "I'll have you know that the Keyblade has been the subject of my research for quite some time now. To actually see it..." Sora crouched down to allow Red to place a front paw upon the Keyblade's hilt. "...It is utterly remarkable."

"Just so you know," Zidane remarked to Sora, who looked up at the tailed man, "Red here isn't as old as you might think so don't let his behaviour fool you. He may act like an adult but he's actually..."

"Around sixteen human years old," Red finished neatly, without removing his eyes from the Keyblade. "My species ages very slowly."

"Spoilsport," Zidane muttered.

"Sixteen? Really!" Sora plopped down to his backside. "This place just keeps getting weirder. You act like...like my mother's age!"

"I get that a lot," Red replied, finally releasing the Keyblade. "Now come, there are a few things I want you to tell me about the Keyblade, so I can see if what you know of it matches my research. I assume you're the Master."

"One of them," Sora replied. "There is another but he's...uh...busy...elsewhere."

"Well I'm gonna be leaving the two of you here to research and whatever," Zidane announced as he backed up to the door. "I've got some things to be doing but I'll be back in a few hours to get Sora. Red, don't let him out of your sight. If you lose him, it's Tifa you'll be answering to!"

"Fine, fine," Red replied without looking back, Sora following him silently. "Just get going."

Zidane waved once and left quietly. Sora blinked. "Don't you guys get on Red?"

Red sighed as he led the way through the towering bookcases. "We have what you'd call a rocky relationship. I find him somewhat infuriating but I know he's a good man. He's been through a lot too. Don't let that carefree attitude fool you."

"I won't." So, Zidane was definitely keeping some huge things bottled up. Sora wondered if he'd ever find out what it was.

They stepped out in front of the library's stairway and for a moment, Sora's eyes glazed over with memories – his own memories and the one that belonged to Kairi. Shaking himself, Sora watched as Red agilely leapt upon a large chair by the table and indicated with a paw for Sora to also take a seat. The boy did so and his eyes grew wide at the huge range of books and sheets of paper littering the large table, all of them seemingly linked to the Keyblade.

"That's...uh...a lot of stuff..."

"It's different works collected from several worlds – including my own which was taken some time ago. Most of what you see here is probably useless fairy tales and the such but together I think we can dig out some real information on the Keyblade."

"Like what exactly?"

"Like how exactly it brought you to Traverse Town."

Sora looked sharply at Red. "You know?"

"Know what exactly? That you're a strange child..."

"Hey, I'm not that much younger than you!"

"Fine. Yes, I know that it was something to do with the Keyblade that brought you to Traverse Town. How exactly it did that I'm not sure but I'm hoping that together we can find an answer."

"But what happened there? Last time I was at Traverse Town it was fine. There were people living there and the buildings weren't collapsing. And...those...things weren't there."

"The Heartless took it."

"But hasn't it been like that for years?"

"Yes."

"Well I was there a few months ago and it was still fine. And what about Hollow Bastion? Last time I was there it was abandoned and..." Sora trailed off. His encounter with those shadows and that strange pool would probably make people think he was insane. "Well it was just different. Everything was different."

Red just tapped the table. "We'll have to hope there's an answer in here."

Sora brushed a hand through his hair. "Okay."

"Just one question before we get started."

"Okay."

"I assume you know what the Keyblade's primary function is?" Red queried. "You haven't just received it?"

Sora shot Red a withering glance. "You don't have to worry. I know what to do. Find the Keyhole, lock the world. Simple."

"Indeed. Well, I suggest we just dive in wherever. Once you've read something, place it in a pile so we don't get confused. Keep anything that seems important separate from everything else and most of all," Red grinned, "be prepared to answer every question I throw at you."

Sora chuckled. "Yes sir!"

And thus began hours of reading and debate. Trying not to go into the more painful details, Sora gave Red an overview of his life since receiving his unique weapon. His pile of useless information grew as he discarded the fiction from Red's hoard of material. Transform into a mystical flying broomstick with wings? The Keyblade did nothing so asinine. Sora also explained how the Keychains worked after Red uncovered theoretical pictures of the Keyblade in different forms.

"Can you show me?"

"Sorry, no." The Keyblade currently rested upon the table, the Keychains placed around it. "Since the locking of Kingdom Hearts, the Keychains don't seem to work even though the Keyblade itself still has their powers." Sora picked up Oathkeeper and held it tightly. "I guess it's just a quirk of the Keyblade. It seems to have a few."

"Quirks?"

No, there were painful memories there too. Like when Riku took it and Donald and Goofy left with it. Sora didn't want to talk about that to anyone. It was a deep and personal pain. "Don't worry. But um...have you found anything on the Heartless? It seems kinda weird that there's all this information on the Keyblade and no mention of the Heartless."

"So they are connected! Finally, we can prove it!"

Sora wasn't quite sure he'd heard right. "There are people who don't get that? You're kidding."

Red's expression was dead serious.

Sora was astonished. "Isn't it sort of obvious? The Heartless search for each world's Keyhole in order to destroy a world."

Red frowned. "You're really not from around here are you?"

"Huh?"

"Tell me, what is a world taken by the Heartless like where you come from?"

"It disappears and falls to darkness. The people from those worlds either lose their hearts or, if they're lucky, wind up on another world. And every time a world falls, a star in the sky goes out."

"There are some similarities," Red murmured, mostly to himself, before turning his thoughtful gaze back to Sora. "In my experience, the Heartless don't exactly destroy a world in the sense you are familiar with. They 'freeze' a world leaving it stuck in the same moment, leaving it uninhabitable for the people. Well people could live in Traverse Town or any of the other fallen worlds but if they weren't directly attacked they would soon sink into despair and become yet another Heartless. Where the Heartless linger, mind games and every negative emotion known to sentient beings lie in wait to crush the hearts of those who remain. Worlds belonging to the Heartless are drained of life and people cannot survive in such stale and unforgiving environments." Red leaned forward a little. "Tifa told me what happened to you. You must be extremely powerful to have survived so many Heartless."

"Um...well, you know, it wasn't so hard." Feeling bashful, Sora quickly changed subjects. "So for you a destroyed world is more like a place where people can't live."

"Yes, you could put it that way."

"Do people suddenly find themselves on other worlds or do they make their own way to places like this?"

"A bit of both. Only those with extremely strong hearts make it off a world and onto another without a vehicle. Most of the time refugees are picked up along the way. We keep a close eye on all the worlds we're currently aware of."

An idea sparked in Sora's mind. "Do you have a chart or anything showing the worlds you've been to?"

Red nodded. "Yes, upstairs. Follow me."

Hopping off his chair, Red walked slowly up the staircase. Sora, after retrieving the Keyblade and Keychains, followed slowly, his mind reviewing the details. The Heartless here, in this familiar yet different place, didn't destroy a world so blatantly. Here they just crushed everything that made a world people's home. Perhaps it was worse this way – seeing the home you know and love become nothing more than a lifeless husk.

 _I wonder Sora, will you know I'm there?_

Startled, Sora jerked to a stop and peered through the huge stained-glass window. He could feel a presence watching him, almost glaring at him. He wanted to run but at the same time he refused to move as he sought out the eyes that watched him.

"Sora?"

The glass distorted the view outside but Sora was certain someone had to be out there watching him. Those words...he'd heard them in his sleep. He remembered that now.

"Red, is there a balcony or anything out there for people to stand on?" Sora called up the stairs without looking. "Could someone be out there?"

Red returned to Sora's side. "No Sora, that's not possible." He gazed up at the boy, whose eyes were still peering aimlessly through the contorted glass. "Tifa told me you might act like this." He gently nudged the boy's leg to stir him. "Come on, I'll show you the maps."

Sora pulled away from the window and ran up the stairs as if to shake off his unwelcome observer – if there was even anyone watching. Perhaps it was just in his head.

"You know, all I really want is to find out what's going on. I've been to Hollow Bastion before but it was never like this. I've been to Traverse Town before but it was never like that. How could everything have changed so much? It doesn't make sense." He sat on the table placed between two bookshelves and waited for Red to bring the maps. "I hope my friends are alright, wherever they are."

A brunette female library assistant in a plain blue skirt and white blouse returned with Red, maps held under her arm. She placed them on the table, bowed to Red and scurried off. Red turned to Sora and indicated he should unroll the maps. "We'll get to the bottom of it somehow Sora. Everything has an explanation. We just have to find it."

"Yeah you're right," Sora said with a smile and then turned his attention to the map he had laid upon the table. His eyes flashed over the familiar sights of Traverse Town, Wonderland, the Coliseum, Deep Jungle, Agrabah, Atlantica, Halloween Town, Neverland and Hollow Bastion. The End of the World was conspicuously absent but that could be because no one had discovered it yet – if it even existed at all. Sora supposed it shouldn't, seeing as Ansem was gone and Kingdom Hearts was sealed but everything had gone a little crazy so he was beginning to suspect just about anything was possible.

"Our safe worlds include the Coliseum, Atlantica and Agrabah although all have the occasional attack but thus far the people of those worlds have been able to fight them off. I imagine the worlds will still need to be...how did you put it?"

"Locked. The Keyholes of all worlds need to be locked if they are to be safe."

"Yes, indeed. We've lost the other worlds and countless others not on any of these maps due to their great distance. The world Tifa and I hail from and Zidane's world are a long way away but if needs be we shall travel to them."

"You mean, you're not from Hollow Bastion?"

"No. Oh, before I forget, we occasionally have trouble with a large creature between Agrabah and Atlantica called –"

"Monstro?"

"Ah – yes. You know of him."

"A little too well."

"Oh?" Red was intrigued.

Sora winced. "My friends and I sort of got swallowed..."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Well...anyway yes, these are the first worlds we discovered. I'd say this is the first map I came across in this library."

"First?"

Red pointed to another.

 _I wonder Sora, will you know I'm there?_

Ignoring the prickling on the back of his neck, Sora unravelled another map. Still no End of the World but there were two additions with a thick black circle enclosing them. "Disney Castle and oh..." Sora swallowed hard. "D-Destiny Islands."

"Both have fallen to the Heartless."

"Th-they have?"

Red wasn't a fool. He knew his companion had suffered a shock but rather than mollycoddling Sora, he pushed onwards to help the younger boy regain his focus. "And they are the most heavily guarded – hence the black circle. Getting close to them is hard enough but actually landing on them has thus far proved impossible. But with the Keyblade I think we stand a chance."

"Really?"

"You said the Keyblade seals the worlds right?"

"Um – yeah." Sora brushed a hand over his eyes and turned to Red. "And afterwards the Heartless can't return for a while and their forces grow weaker."

"Weaken the Heartless and you'll weaken their barrier around these two worlds," Red replied, tapping the map.

 _I'll be there to watch.  
_  
Sora forced a comment. "I hope you can help me convince Tifa I'm up to something like sealing the worlds."

"Oh don't worry about Tifa. She's as gentle as they come despite her fighting abilities. She's only worried about you."

"That's a relief."

"Besides, she knows you're needed. She keeps herself well informed about my research and is one of the few believers in the Keyblade and its Master. Many have lost so much hope that you and your weapon are little more than hopeful fictional legends to calm children to sleep."

Sora grinned. "We'll show them!"

"Indeed."

 _There's nothing for me to do yet because now is not the time and here is not the place._

"All we need to figure out now is how did I get here and how can I go back to things the way I'm used to them being."

"I have a feeling the answer will present itself in due time."

"You know what, me too." He held out his hand and the Keyblade flashed into its full form. "It's kind of comforting knowing there's something bigger than you guiding your path."

 _I'll be there to watch._

"Mr Red! Mr Red!"

Keyblade fading away, Sora and Red looked to the Library's upstairs door as a small brown-haired girl came running in. She was small, probably only ten or eleven, and she wore purple boots, knee-length white socks with little pink Sakura flowers etched on them, a purple pleated skirt and a white T-shirt. Sora found himself marvelling at the girl's eyes – one of which was blue and the other a deep shade of green.

"Hello there Yuna!" Red said cheerfully. "What can I do for you today? You know where all your favourite books are kept..."

"I'm on messenger duty today and the Council told me to find you because they said you had a boy called Sora with you and they want to speak to him. Miss Tifa sent me herself!"

"Council?" Sora asked, more than a little lost.

"We have a small Council that controls missions," Red explained, allowing Yuna to catch her breath. "Tifa is a member of it. Yuna and I will take you there, won't we Yuna?"

"Yes Mr Red!" She turned to Sora and smiled shyly. "Miss Tifa said that maybe you could help us."

"Well, I'll do my best," Sora said encouragingly.

Yuna walked over and took his hand. "I'll take you to the Council then." She turned to Red. "Come on Mr Red!"

Smiling at the little girl's cheerful yet business-like personality, Sora allowed himself to be led out of library. So, he was off to meet the Council huh? Maybe soon he'd be able to actually do something useful instead of just taking up valuable space.

He was so engaged in Yuna's commentated tour to the Council he failed to notice the invisible eyes that kept an eye on him from the shadows.

 _Yes, I am here to observe you. Will you ever know who I am Sora? I'd love to see your reaction if you ever discovered who I truly am.  
_


	5. Chapter 5

All The Roads We Have To Walk: Chapter Five

Sora had hoped the Council would've been located elsewhere but it was, of course, exactly where he least wanted to be: right where the portal to the Final Keyhole had once stood. Memories, painful memories, consumed his consciousness for a few brief moments and he was barely aware of the steps he took or the cheery words Yuna spoke.

"So, you're the one who claims to have the Keyblade. Hmm, not exactly what I had expected."

Sora pushed thoughts of losing his heart and falling into the darkness away and focused on the Council and it's members. There were five of them in total – three men and two women. One of the men had spoken. Tifa smiled briefly at him from her seat on the far end of the thick polished wooden table the Council Members sat behind. Sora turned again to the man who had spoken. He was certainly odd – painfully slim and looking middle-aged yet probably barely in his twenties. He had blond hair so light it was white and, in a strange comparison, eyes so deep brown they were almost black. He wore a high-collared white jacket and black trousers that slipped inside knee-high combat boots. He dressed smartly but looked ready to kill despite his fragile build. Something in the back of Sora's mind was instantly wary of this man and his disinterested voice.

Another man, this one as dark as the other was pale and as brawny as the other was skinny, waved a beefy, gloved hand and Yuna and Red who obviously recognised the gesture left swiftly. Sora noticed that the man's arm was…well missing a hand and in its place was a large gun. He swallowed nervously as the man's fierce expression fell upon him. Sora's eyes flickered to Tifa, who looked positively amused by this other man. Was that a good or bad sign?

"Your name boy?" The first man spoke again with his strange voice that sounded deep but had an odd edge to it, almost as if he were teetering on the brink of absolute hysteria.

Sora's concern went up a notch as he answered as politely as he could. All the Council members were now focused solely on him and he felt unnerved. He wasn't used to being the subject of such intense and obvious scrutiny.

"I am Tsuko, head of the Council" the man said, tapping his chest.

"Barret," the large man with the gun for a hand said with a wicked yet good-natured grin. Some of Sora's nerves eased a little.

The third man, equally muscular as Barret but leaner and taller, with dark purple hair that flowed over his shoulders and dressed all in black, gave a smile. "Metsu."

Tifa winked. "Don't worry Sora, you'll be fine."

He blushed a little. "Yeah, I know."

"And I am Reina," the Council's other female member, a woman with restrained pink hair and a calm (or perhaps regal) countenance said. "Show us the Keyblade," she then requested. "We have many questions to ask you."

Sora held out his hand and summoned the Keyblade, which appeared with a warm light as it always did. There were a few barely restrained gasps from a few members of the Council but Sora ignored them and focused instead on making it through this important meeting without making any embarrassing mistakes. Hadn't Red said that some people didn't believe that the Heartless and Keyblade were connected? Perhaps a good aim here would be to explain the inextricable link between the two.

"Place it upon the table," Tsuko ordered.

Sora hesitated. He didn't know if he could trust these people yet. His heart was uncertain in this huge, unpleasant chamber whereas Red and his library had felt comfortable. Leaving the Keyblade in their presence didn't sit well with Sora.

"Do as I command boy," Tsuko snapped.

Still unwilling but not wanting to offend, Sora did as he was asked. Tsuko was the first to pick the weapon up and Sora fought the temptation to snatch it out the withered man's hands.

"This is a most unique weapon," he said, clearly an expert in the field as his eyes and hands swept over the Keyblade lightly but took in huge amounts of detail. "Truly a marvel."

"It has other purposes," Sora said. "It's not just a weapon to cut through the Heartless. Somehow it was created to seal the worlds from them and seal the world from which they originate."

"Now here's where you're going to have to be the teacher for a while Sora," Metsu explained. "We've researched the Keyblade and it's ability to seal the Keyholes of worlds…"

"And discovered it's potential to destroy," Reina interrupted.

"Indeed," Metsu continued. "But perhaps you can provide us with alternative intelligence on this…Keyblade and it's purpose. And, of course, your purpose."

"My purpose is to help stop the Heartless. I'm not entirely sure how to do that but I'm certainly going to try."

"How can we be guaranteed that you will not unleash the Keyblade's powers to destroy?" Tsuko demanded. "Red has certainly been very forthcoming with his research but he either never discovered what I myself learnt about this weapon's darker nature, or he did know and chose to withhold the information."

"Tsuko you know Red would do no such thing," Tifa protested coolly. "He would never lie or conceal the truth."

Tsuko gave her an icy sidelong look before returning his attention to Sora. "Tell us boy, you are aware of your weapon's power to not only seal a world but to unseal it and leave it open to disaster?"

Sora nodded. "Yes, of course I am. But I would never…"

"We have no way to verify your claims," Tsuko interrupted.

"I wouldn't destroy anything. I'm not like that."

 _I wonder…can you do it all again?_

Reina looked at Tsuko. "Another person to help us in our battle against the Heartless couldn't hurt."

"Indeed this weapon is said, rumoured if you like, to be the only method of destroying the Heartless and it is right in front of us," Metsu stated. "We place a guardian to watch over the boy while he wields it and ensure that the Keyblade's less desirable characteristics stay well under control."

"I would prefer another person, one of our best soldiers, to wield it," Tsuko said.

"But-"

"However!" Tsuko continued forcefully, his eyes burning into Sora's and never flickering away, "I am well aware that the Keyblade chooses its wielder and not the other way round." He closed his eyes and appeared to mull for a moment. "We will allow you to go with Tifa and her crew on standard recon missions of the nearby worlds. But be warned: she and her crew will be instructed to use whatever force necessary should you prove to be untrustworthy. Is that understood?"

Sora despised being threatened but knew confrontation was not the answer in this place. Instead he assented to Tsuko's demands. "I understand perfectly." The Keyblade flashed and appeared in his hand. "I won't let you down, I promise."

"My crew and I have been assigned to check up on three of our least troubled worlds," Tifa explained. "Will these worlds have Keyholes?"

"Yeah, they will. All worlds have a Keyhole, including this one."

Sora was surprised to see astonishment on the faces of all the Council members – including Tifa. What, had they not even considered the idea of their world having a Keyhole? Did they think it was somehow free of such an important element? Were they truly so naïve? He felt like laughing at these five people (even though he did really like Tifa). How could the five people in charge of such a huge rescue effort not understand the Keyblade and the Keyholes despite so much research?

"Well," Tsuko cleared his throat. "You have two hours before you will be leaving with Tifa. You are dismissed."

The Council members all stood to leave. "Um…where exactly do you want me to go?" Sora asked. "This place is kinda huge."

Tifa and the man named Barret walked over. "Come with us kid," Barret rumbled, his voice as deep as a mountain valley. "A skinny kid like you could use a good meal or three and I could use some lunch."

Sora's stomach suddenly voiced its agreement. He clamped his hands over it and blushed. "Well…ah…it's been a while since I ate."

"Looks like you ain't never eaten kid!" Barret clamped his hand on Sora's shoulder and guided the boy out of the Council chamber, Tifa following. "You ain't going anywhere 'til you eat."

Soon the three were taking a lift downwards. Several other official people stood with them. Red had rejoined their small group too, explaining that Yuna had already left to deliver messages. He too departed alone to run a few errands before returning to the library.

It wasn't until they were several floors away from the Council Chamber and alone that Barret dropped his insistence upon Sora eating. "Sorry kid. Needed to make it look convincing."

"Sorry, what?"

Tifa picked up the conversation. "The Council can be a very dangerous thing. There are agendas and secrets there that we are not aware of – just as they are not aware of some of the things Barret and I do."

"You break the rules?"

Tifa and Barret shared a look. "No," Barret said. "It's just politics were never our thing."

"We just have secrets…" Tifa added.

"Secrets…?"

Tifa shook her head. "This isn't the time or the place. But the more important thing is the secrets the Council is hiding."

 _Would you like me to tell you what fate shall befall this world?_

Sora held a hand to his head where a slight throb was starting between his temples. "You know none of this can be good, right?"

 _Oh, how foolish of me._

"Look, neither of us have clearance but we know there is something hidden in the basement," Barret explained hurriedly as the lift arrived at the correct floor. "Something we need to know about."

"Before it's too late," Tifa added.

 _You already know._

Off the lift and once again in a throng of people, Sora could only follow Barret and Tifa to the buzzing food hall silently, his head bowed. Someone was holding secrets in the basement? That didn't sound good at all. No, worse than that. It was probably a disaster waiting to happen. He knew he'd have to look in to it at some point but for now Barret was handing him a plate full of tasty food and, despite his new concerns, Sora couldn't deny himself a much-needed meal.

 _You want to pretend everything's going to work out fine. Well, if self-delusion helps so be it. The truth will only be harder to swallow, and you know it._

The meal was conducted in silence. Barret and Tifa shared the occasional uneasy look but never uttered another word. Sora was trying to focus on the food but his mind kept slipping onto that voice. Who was it? Was it someone from his past or just a trick his own mind was playing on him? The voice was so familiar. That was the worst thing.

Barret was the first to leave, claiming he had Council business to attend to. Tifa accepted the explanation. "Barret's the second most senior Council member," she explained. "He's constantly got reports to write and read over. He rarely sees any action these days despite what you may think." She patted her arm with a pointed look. Then she broke into a grin. "Barret comes in handy when you need to get the Council on your side. Zidane and I don't always follow the rules so a little back-up from a friend now and then is helpful." She stood up and shook out her hair. "If you're ready, we'd better be getting to the Highwind. No doubt Zidane's already wearing holes in the floor with his impatient pacing."

Standing up and following Tifa through the crowds of hungry people, Sora couldn't help but enquire as to where their first destination was. Tifa was still in a playful mood and revealed nothing: she apparently wanted to provide Sora with a surprise.

As if he hadn't had quite enough already.

A few minutes and lift rides later they were once again boarding Highwind – not that Sora had any recollection of the last time he'd either boarded or left the impressive silver and black ship. He took a moment to gaze at it from the ramp. The engines were far larger than the Holy-G found on his, Donald and Goofy's Gummi ship. The general design was larger and sleeker than anything Sora was used to as well – the Highwind was more curved for extra speed and it's weapons were tucked away only to be unleashed when needed. To anyone with a love of all things that flew, the Highwind was a beauty. To Sora, it was just a cool looking ship that he was now standing in once again.

Once onboard he and Tifa went straight to the bridge located high up on the ship's upper-most level. Zidane was waiting there as were several crewmembers who recognised the cue Tifa gave for them to take off.

"Red tells me you met the Council," Zidane commented with a grin. "Lively bunch huh?"

Tifa shot him a glare. "I resent that."

Zidane shrugged. "Okay fine, with the exception of yourself and good ol' Barret the Council could use a little more caffeine in their diet."

Tifa rolled her eyes walked over to her helmsmen, giving him the co-ordinates of their destination.

"You feeling up to all this?" Zidane asked, concern replacing his more jovial mood. "You can stay here if you're still a little woozy."

"Nah, I'm fine Zidane really," Sora said with what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "The shivering's stopped too. You can have your sweater back." Sora ignored Zidane's uncertain look. "Really, I feel great."

 _But I'm still here._

Sora's smile worked and Zidane responded likewise. "That's a relief. Well then, guess you oughta come and stand up here," Zidane led the way to the bridge's massive view-port that gave a spectacular view of the space outside. The speckled stars suddenly turned into long strips of light and Sora stumbled back a little as the ship shot forwards. "Warp drive," Zidane explained. "It'll take us…"

"Directly to our destination, yeah I'm familiar with it," Sora summarised.

"Then you'll also know that we'll be arriving…"

"Okay boys, we're here."

Zidane's look was priceless. "I coulda told him that…"

Laughing over his shoulder, Sora turned back to the view-port. His laughter stopped sharply, caught and frozen in his chest. His eyes widened as his heart fell.

 _Oh dear_.

"Sora, what is it?"

"What happened here?" Sora asked quietly, not sure if he spoke to Zidane or the voice only he could hear.

 _Is something wrong?_

"Nothing happened. It's always been like this."

"No, that can't be. There used to be a big…there was…"

 _So wrong you just don't want to believe your eyes?_

"Sora, this world has been like this for years. Hundreds, heck probably thousands of years. Are you seriously telling me you know what it was like back then?"

"It's just like Traverse Town," he murmured, head bowed. "It's the same place but it's completely different to how I remember."

 _Funny. I know exactly how that feels._

"You still want to go down there?"

Sora looked over at Zidane, forcing his shock and disbelief as far aside as he could manage. "I have to know what's happening and why everything's changed. There has to be an answer here."

Tifa walked over and seemed to pick up on the change in Sora. "Is everything alright? We're going to land now."

"I'm fine," Sora replied and then turned back to the aged world. "Just fine."

 _Oh believe me, this is barely even the beginning._


	6. Chapter 6

All The Roads We Have To Walk: Chapter Six

The Coliseum was a pitiful site beneath the warm sun. The sadness pierced Sora's heart. He couldn't comprehend how this once thriving place was now not only desolate but a historical, ancient ruin. He could feel many pairs of eyes watching his every confused movement but he didn't care. Only one issue permeated his consciousness: how had the Coliseum wound up like this? All around huge boulders of what had once been a grand structure were drowning beneath vines, weeds, nettles and flowers that clung possessively to the stonework. Grass had spewed from what had once been the sand covered courtyard, the once exotic place somehow more ordinary because of it. Time was the obvious enemy here but it still made no sense to Sora. He'd been away from the Olympus Coliseum for months, not millennia. He tried not to commit too much thought to it, tried to dig out his cheerful nature but it seemed to have been stunned into absence. Well, the very least he could do was focus on the task at hand: seek out and seal the Keyhole.

Dotted everywhere among the ruins were little stone huts obviously created very recently. Hurrying to catch up, Sora followed behind Tifa and Zidane who knew exactly where they were headed. The three walked through what had once been the battle arena. Now the seating area was crumbled and broken, and the arena itself was host to several shacks and a lot of people who seemed to be running around doing nothing. There was surprisingly little sound - no voices, only footsteps on sand and broken brick. Sora didn't quite know how he was going to find the Keyhole now that this place was not only nothing like it used to be but also seemed to be relatively peaceful and free of Heartless. His hand slipped inside his pocket and he clutched the warm Kingdom Keychain. It was the only thing left with him from before and, as always, it gave him the strength he needed to keep moving onwards.

Tifa ducked inside one of the huts nearest what had once been the arena's back wall. Zidane waited for Sora to approach before entering himself. "You okay?"

Sora nodded and managed a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just a shock." He took a deep breath. "I'll get used to it soon I'm sure."

Zidane gave him a strange look before shrugging and slipping into the hut himself. Sora shook his head, he'd never been much of a liar, and then followed. A chill slid down his spine as he passed from sunlight to shade and, out of habit, Sora peered over his shoulder. Only huts and ruins greeted him. He shook off the chill and walked to Zidane's side.

Inside, Tifa was already talking to another woman - this one tall, slim in a very feminine way and dressed in clothes that accentuated her curvaceous body. Her green hair was tied-up high at the back of her head and compassion shone in her eyes as she smiled and nodded at Tifa's words. She turned to Sora, her bright eyes seemingly delighted at the sight of him and Sora himself couldn't help but smile a little in response.

"So, you're the one with the Keyblade," she said. "I always believed you'd come. My name is Terra."

Sora introduced himself and then added: "I don't suppose you've noticed anything that looks like a giant Keyhole around here have you?" Something like amusement bubbled inside him and the smile slipped back in place, a little brighter this time. "I know that sounds kinda weird."

Terra shook her head, her hair swishing as she did so. "Sorry, no."

Sora pondered for a moment, going over all his own experiences. In the past, Keyholes had always been located in places with some kind of significance. If the Coliseum's Keyhole was in the same place, Sora had tons of rubble to dig through to find it. The question was…which was the right pile? Well, for now he'd try a different approach. "Do you have any areas around here that are different to others? Like important meeting places or anything like that?"

Terra didn't need much time to think. "The only thing that springs to mind is the place where the Heartless occasionally attack. Other than that there's not much here. This is only a small outpost with a limited population but we do what we can to help," she said with a little smile. "Could that be what you're looking for?"

"Could be. Can we go now or are you busy?"

"We should go now," Zidane said, crossing his arms in a thoughtful manner. "Hey, I'll go with Sora. I know where the Heartless always attack. Been here once or twice when it happened myself. You ladies stay here and catch up on all that girly gossip." There was a wide grin on his face. "I know what you two are like."

Tifa shot Zidane a dirty look. "If you two boys get in trouble just give us a call. I'm sure we'll be able to help."

Terra was still giggling as Zidane dragged a slightly confused Sora from the room. "Am I missing…everything?" Sora asked as Zidane led the way.

Zidane shook his head. "Don't worry kid. It's a sorta in-joke."

"And…?"

"During one of the last Heartless attacks Terra and Tifa were so busy talking to each other and catching up that they didn't realise the outpost was even under attack." Zidane cast Sora a sly look. "That knowledge comes in handy for a bribe or two now and then. If there's something Tifa hates, it's being labelled as a stereotypical woman."

They had already walked quite a ways from the hut and Zidane showed no signs of stopping. The ruins of the coliseum were slowly getting further and further away. Sora walked backwards, looking at the ruins and trying to recreate what they had once looked like in his mind. The Coliseum had gone…and it looked like Hercules and Phil were nowhere to be seen either. Maybe Terra knew them…but somehow it was doubtful. What had happened? Had he somehow gone thousands of years into the future? If he had that meant everyone he knew was dead…including…

No! No. No that couldn't be the answer.

"Well, this is the place."

Sora, still walking backwards, collided with Zidane. Hitting the ground with a "Whoa!" Sora found himself staring up at the blue sky, sunlight blinding him until he shielded his eyes with a hand.

Zidane peered over him, blocking out the sunlight, one eyebrow raised. "I'd tell you why that happened but I think you know."

"Ah-ha, yeah. Sorry."

"Here." Zidane held out a helping hand.

"Tha…" Sora's voice trailed off. Something was standing behind Zidane. "Oh no."

Fear exploded in his chest but so did the need to move and with one swift pull, Sora yanked Zidane out the way and rolled to one side himself, just as the ghostly hands descended. Sora was on his feet in an instant, Keyblade clutched tightly in his right hand. The Heartless were everywhere all of a sudden, at lest ten, all of them standing and staring hungrily at him, their bodies transparent but their hatred solid. They formed a wall between him and a strange chunk of rock that seemed to have been thrust firmly into the ground and left to stand for all time. He cast a glance in Zidane's direction and saw the young man clutching two lethal-looking daggers as he fell into a comfortable and familiar fighting stance. There was fear in Zidane's eyes, fear of the Heartless, but Sora could see that it was a fear well under control.

"Let's go," Zidane said, gritting his teeth.

Leaping forward, Sora swung the Keyblade with practised ease, slicing through the nearest Heartless. It was an odd sensation as the Keyblade passed through, like he was shattering glass. The Heartless he smashed through, something that vaguely resembled a woman in an elegant dress, fell to the ground and didn't get up. In fact, it seemed to melt into the hard soil. He didn't stop to watch, he pressed onwards, somersaulting over the next Heartless and catching it unaware from behind. It too sank into the ground but Sora was already moving, hacking his way through to where Zidane was fending off two Heartless. The tailed man slashed upwards with his left dagger before jabbing his right dagger into the Heartless' upper torso. Using it as leverage, Zidane planted his feet apart and swung with all his might, the Heartless lifted up and thrown into the one approaching Zidane's rear. Both hit the ground, never to rise again. Zidane took a breath and looked over to Sora, who had been watching in amazement.

"Sora look out!"

An icy touch plunged into Sora's left shoulder and all the strength fled in a cold rush, leaving his right arm to take the Keyblade's weight alone. Ripping himself free, Sora stumbled forwards. His left arm began to throb but it was still useless, shaking if he even attempted to lift it. Zidane moved in to help.

"Don't worry, I'm fine," Sora insisted.

He held his right arm out slightly and began to spin the Keyblade, rapidly gaining momentum and power. He turned back to face his attacker, the Keyblade whirling rapid circles in his right hand. Slamming it into the Heartless' head, it sliced from top to bottom with ease. Pulling back, Sora turned a tight circle and swung outwards, the Keyblade passing through the Heartless' ethereal body from left to right. It smashed into the ground and broke apart like a shattered windowpane. Shaking his still freezing left arm to encourage some life in the limb, Sora looked to where Zidane had dispatched of the last Heartless.

"Guess we're late again!"

Sora, left arm still being waved madly, looked away from Zidane and saw Tifa and Terra running over. They stopped, neither out of breath, and Terra immediately seized Sora's arm. "Heartless?" she asked.

"Yeah, but I'm fine. I got it off pretty quick."

"Hold on." She closed her eyes briefly. "Cure3!"

Bright, sparkling multicoloured lights embraced Sora and the chill was gone in an instant, his strength returned in full. "Cure3?" He asked. "I've never heard of that before."

"It's the same spell as Curaga," Zidane explained, walking over to join the group. "It's just an older version."

"But it gets the job done just as well," Terra said, sounding almost defensive.

Sora was about to reply but an unexpected flash of golden light distracted him and he looked over to where the rock had been placed. A relieved grin washed over his face. The Keyhole!

 _Well that wasn't that just childishly easy?_

The Keyblade's tip glowed in response and Sora, once in front of the Keyhole, held it out. A beam of light, woven among stars, shot out and into the Keyhole.

 _I do hope you know they won't all be this simple. Consider this a mere warm up. It only gets tougher from here on out._

"Be quiet," Sora murmured, not loud enough to be heard by Zidane or the women.

 _Oh, don't you like me? Well isn't that pain. We'll be getting to know each other quite well you know._

The Keyhole announced its closure with a loud click before it sank back into the rock as if it had never been.

 _Or perhaps we already know each other quite well._

"Was that it?" Zidane asked. "Was that the Keyhole?"

Sora nodded, dismissing the Keyblade with a thought. "And every world has one just like it. We'll have to-"

The huge slab shifted, the ground groaning with the strain. Backing away, Sora watched as it smacked into the ground, a huge crack forming in the sand-coloured stone as it kicked dust swirls into the air. Approaching cautiously, the group all peered at the damaged stone. In the dead centre, something metallic shone in the sunlight.

"What is it?" Sora asked, holding up a hand to block the painful glare of the sun.

Tifa stood in the sun's path and created enough shadow for them to all get a better look at the strange object. It was a bronze metal, still mostly encased in stone. Only part of a symbol could be made out but Sora didn't need to see all of it.

"The Heartless symbol," he said grimly. He traced his fingers along the visible lines. "Is there any way to get it out?"

"I'll run back to base camp and find some tools," Terra said. "Zidane, would you come with me?"

"Sure."

They jogged back to camp, leaving Sora and Tifa alone.

"You don't like this," Tifa stated unquestioningly.

Sora gave a rueful smile. "The Heartless don't bring good news with them."

"No, they bring about destruction and pain."

"Yeah, and a lot of it."

"Everyone I know these days has suffered loss because of the Heartless," Tifa said sadly. "Will we ever live in times when the Heartless are just a distant memory?"

"I hope so. I'm doing my best." Sometimes though, Sora felt that his best was more like the worst.

"You're the first ray of hope we've had," Tifa replied frankly. "Anything you do will help."

"No pressure then."

"Sora, don't say that."

Shaking himself, Sora dug down within himself for the optimism that had always been there in the past. "You're right anyway. I'll do whatever I can to help. I might be a little confused by I'm not helpless."

"None of us are helpless. Everyone can do his or her bit: even little Yuna helps."

"In that case," Sora said, looking to the sky, "I think everything will work out fine in the end."

"Yeah."

A few minutes of comfortable silence followed and it wasn't long before Terra and Zidane returned with two pickaxes in tow. Zidane tossed one to Sora and kept the other himself. "Let's do the honours shall we?"

It was dusk by the time enough of the object was free for it to be removed. Using the axes as leverage, Sora and Zidane wrenched the thing free. It turned out to be a bronze box, the lid already coming loose. It was intricately carved, the four corners extended into legs that the main body of the box was perched upon. The legs were shaped like the pillars that had once stood at the Coliseum, with vines winding around them and bursting into flower and their tips. Taking hold of the lid, Sora pulled it free apprehensively. Inside was a mere shred of paper that had, at some point in its existence, belonged to a larger whole. Picking it up gently, Sora turned it over and discovered two lines of words. Just barely visible in the late light, he read them to himself.

 _A lost heart,_

 _Reborn only for destruction,_

"Huh, if you look at the punctuation you can tell this is only part of something," Tifa commented, reading over Sora's shorter shoulder.

"Aren't those words enough?" Sora asked. "'A lost heart, reborn only for destruction' is bad, very bad."

One word…no, a name…was already screaming back and forth in his mind. Ansem


	7. Chapter 7

All The Roads We Have To Walk: Chapter Seven

 _Standing on water._

 _Ice creeping towards him, it's intent to ensnare._

 _That strange castle lay sadly in the distance, high on a hill beyond pile after pile of dead trees and crumpled leaves. He stepped forward, hoping to run toward it, but he had no chance of escaping._

 _The ice was everywhere now - he stood in the very centre of the frozen lake, body shivering. Looking down was like looking through a window, a window that opened up onto a view of something deep below the surface. Was it a sunken house? No, it was far too large to be such a mere dwelling. A village perhaps? No, wrong again. It was one single building…a castle? Yes, a glittering white and castle far, far away. Such a merry place - its happiness just seemed to scream at him. Well, that was fine. He felt like screaming at it too._

 _The ice fractured._

 _The castle below seemed to laugh. It was familiar some how. He quickly looked at the dying building high on its lonely hill. Could they really be…?_

 _The ice snapped. He fell into its grasp._

 _The Castle below suddenly filled his vision but the closer he got the darker everything seemed to become, the shadows reclaiming the deep depths. Through the water he could hear sounds…laughter perhaps?_

 _Did he really know this place? Did he know that place?_

 _Was this place…?_

 _Darkness claimed all and his mind plunged into silence._

"Nothing?" Donald asked as his lifelong friend entered the cockpit.

Goofy shook his head in melancholy. "Nope. Nuthin. Leon didn't have any ideas either."

The wizard sighed, his feathered hands holding the gummi ship's controls a little too tightly. Ever since Sora's disappearance, only a few days ago, they'd been back to every world they'd ever visited and then some. Hollow Bastion had been a last resort and it had turned up nothing. All they'd been greeted with was a lot of clueless and worried people.

"Well, at least there ain't been no Heartless," Goofy supplied from the co-pilot's seat, although the cheerful optimism seemed a little forced. "And the walls between worlds didn't cause a problem."

Donald gave a grumpy sigh. "There's only one place left to go."

"Uh, are ya sure?"

"Got any better ideas?"

"Uh, well…no."

Donald fired up the engines. "Then we're going."

Goofy nodded, a small smile on his face as they shot out of orbit around Hollow Bastion. "It'll sure be nice to see everyone again."

Donald smiled too, excitement at the prospect glowering in his heart. "It sure will."

"…hear me? Sora? Wake up."

Opening his eyes, the inside of Terra's hut greeted him. A hand - Zidane's hand - rested on his shoulder. Sitting up, he yawned hugely and stretched. A cold shiver ran through him and his sleep-fogged brain released the memory of that strange dream. Something about it was so familiar…but what?

"Hey, you awake?"

Sora cast Zidane an irked glance. "How can you be so awake at this hour?"

"Well, probably because the hour is rather late and I got up ages ago," Zidane replied. "But anyway, that's not what I'm here to tell you. Tifa just told me: we got a call from one of the other outposts. They're under attack. We're moving out now."

Sora was on his feet in an instant. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and grabbing that odd little box dug out from the rock, he followed Zidane into the bright sunlight. "Do you know how bad it is?"

"Bad enough."

The pair returned to where the Highwind was docked at a tall, wooden station. It was one of about ten: all of which had ships docked to them. Highwind was by far the most impressive. Sora and Zidane clambered up the ladders that led to the boarding level and found Terra waiting there.

Zidane offered a mock bow. "Pleasure to see you again. Maybe next time we'll finally be able to have that date in Hollow Bastion."

Terra laughed thinly. "Yes, maybe. Now get going."

The mocking was gone and Zidane offered a real smile. "It was great to see you again Terra."

She planted a soft kiss on his cheek. "You too."

Zidane stepped aboard as Terra walked over to Sora. "Thanks for all your help," she said, kissing him too and leaving him blushing to the tips of his hair.

"Ah, uhm, it was…heh…just…uh…just doing my job."

Terra nodded and pulled the teenager into a hug. She leaned into him, her mouth poised by his ear so her words were only for him. "Please Sora, be very careful. There's so much danger ahead for you, for us all. I know you're lost but don't give up. Everything will work out in the end."

She stepped away and with a final wave to Zidane, she headed for the ladder and disappeared down it. A little stunned, Sora walked to the ship and stepped on board.

"Remind me to teach you a thing or two about women," Zidane said as they headed for the bridge. "You went as red as Ifrit's fire back there."

"Ifrit's fire?"

Zidane sighed, raising a hand to his forehead as if in despair. "Kids these days. Never mind. But when we have the chance I'll introduce you to a few girls and teach you all about the joys of interaction with the opposite sex." There was a strange smile on Zidane's face - as if the expression had been forced upon him. "I'm sure no one will mind if we have a little fun now and then."

This sounded like something Kairi would disapprove of. "Uh…thanks."

Sora stumbled a little as the ship suddenly lurched upwards and he made a grab for the nearest wall to steady himself with. It was cold to his touch…

… _Like a lake of ice._

"Anyway, let's get to the bridge. I'm sure we can grab something to eat up there too and you can leave that box someplace safe. I'm starving. There's been no time for breakfast 'til now."

Sora followed silently. A chill seemed to have pierced his spine, running up and down it quite merrily. Was something bad about to happen?

 _Are you blind? You're not exactly prancing through a bed of roses these days._

Shaking off the dream and everything that seemed to stem from it, Sora followed Zidane and focused on the idea of getting a decent breakfast. It seemed kind of childish, to think of his stomach when his mind seemed to be open to strange thoughts and even stranger voices. But, he supposed as he stepped into the lift and it shot upwards, he did need to keep his strength up in the face of so many of this new brand of Heartless.

The bridge proved to have plenty of breakfast-related items, all set out on a nice table that was surrounded by several technicians. Sora gave the box to Tifa, who placed it in a safe on the bridge before he went for breakfast. Zidane was quick to grab a hot steaming cup of a black liquid (hadn't Donald called it coffee?) and a piece of fruit before walking over and conversing quietly with Tifa, who now stood by the pilot. Sora, who'd always had fruit for breakfast for as long as he could remember, picked up something that resembled a banana (same shape only more orange) and a beaker of water. Banana-like thing consumed with in a mere minute, water swigged to wash it down, Sora walked over to his companions.

"We got the call about thirty minutes ago," Tifa explained. "They said a huge group of Heartless has swept out of the abandoned palace, through the marketplace and out into the desert."

"Abandoned palace?" It already sounded as if Jasmine wouldn't be around, but what about Aladdin?

"When the Sultan and his family were taken by the Heartless many years ago, the people swore to lock up the palace and never allow anyone - including the loyal servants - to step foot inside until the Sultan returned," Zidane explained. The sadness had returned to his gaze. "They're still waiting."

"What's Agrabah like?" Sora found himself asking. He didn't really want another shock today. It was becoming an unwelcome daily occurrence. "I've been there before but…but it's going to be different, isn't it?"

"Agrabah is in a state of organised chaos," Tifa replied, her tone teacher-like. "On the surface the people seem happy enough but below that is the fear."

"Fear? Of the Heartless?"

"No, something much closer to home: their new rulers."

"Oh?"

"They're criminals - all of them. Very rich criminals who would take the palace by storm and set their very merry selves up in there if not for two reasons: the people and fear."

"Fear of what?" Sora felt compelled to ask. "Fear of attack from the Agrabah's people?"

"No, fear of something a little less real."

Zidane could see the confusion on Sora's face and was kind enough to elaborate on Tifa's mysterious words. "The Heartless leave things behind: ghosts of memories of the ones they took. It's not a pleasant experience."

Memories of a little laughing child and a brooding man punctured Sora's consciousness. "Yeah, I know." Inwardly he groaned at himself. His new found angst was starting to annoy him. Time for some cheer! "But I'm sure once we seal all the worlds and get to the bottom of all this everything will be alright again. I might even find out what's going on with me." Sora blanched. He couldn't tell anyone about the voices or the dreams. They'd lock him away by order of the Council in the depths of Hollow Bastion without a second thought.

"With you?" Tifa looked sharply at him. "Are you alright?" Her concern was heartfelt - like a big sister concerned with her little brother's wellbeing. "Are you still feeling ill from the Heartless attack?"

"Oh, nothing like that. It's just, you know," Sora waved a dismissive hand, as if what he was saying was of little importance. "Why for me everything is so different on all these worlds." It wasn't a lie, just an omission of many other truths. "It just keeps confusing me."

"Maybe your memory got altered somehow?" Zidane suggested. "All kinds of weird things happen to people attacked by the Heartless. Or maybe the Keyblade did it."

"Yeah, maybe." Although Sora thought, and knew, neither option was a possibility.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure you're right Sora," Tifa reassured. "Dealing with the Heartless is bound to give us the answers we need."

"Coming up on Agrabah," the pilot announced.

Sora wandered over to the huge view-port and watched as the blip in the distance grew larger and larger until Agrabah was completely recognisable. From up here, it still seemed the same - the Market still stood, as did the Cave of Wonders in the distance.

"Pulling into the atmosphere," the pilot added.

The ride was surprisingly smooth thanks to the technology the Highwind was packing. It slipped easily into Agrabah's atmosphere and came to a standstill by this world's dock, which was identical to the one in the Coliseum only emptier.

"Backup has been called for," Tifa said, checking the strapping of her gloves. "They'll be here within a few hours."

"A few hours? But it didn't take us that long."

"That's because we're onboard the only ship with warp capabilities," Tifa replied. "The Council hasn't managed to install the system on all the ships yet, but we're working on it."

"Maybe this will be enough incentive for them to get a move on with it," Zidane muttered.

The ship completed it's docking as Sora, Tifa and Zidane were reaching the ship's exit. Once off the ship, just outside Agrabah's marketplace, screaming and wailing could be heard. Sora leapt off the platform and ran for the long market, Keyblade appearing anxiously in his hand.

The instant he crossed the market's threshold the Heartless were everywhere and people were fleeing past him, hoping to find safety. He swung the Keyblade left and right, clearing a path. He knew the Heartless had already made for the Cave of Wonders where the Keyhole was but what if there were people in Agrabah that needed help? He wouldn't wish this kind of Heartless' attack on anyone.

Agrabah's hot air was dampened with the chill of the Heartless. Their boneless hands reached out silently but Sora cut them away, leaving his enemy to melt into the ground as their bizarre grasp on life faded forever.

"Help me! Someone please! My child, no! Leave her alone!"

Looking left, Sora saw a dark haired, shabbily dressed woman cowering behind a stall, grasping a small child's hand desperately but rapidly losing her grip as a soundless, expressionless Heartless pulled the little girl away. Leaping over the wooden framework, Sora plunged the Keyblade into the Heartless' head and ripped it away from the child. It smacked into a wall behind Sora (a wall he usually climbed up to reach Aladdin's home) and faded to nothingness. He turned back to the mother who was now clutching her dead weight of a daughter to her chest and sobbing forlornly. Sora bent down slightly and reached out to the little girl. She was no more than a toddler really. Her entire body was like ice under his hand. His breath stuck in his throat and the woman drew the lifeless body closer to her, as if hoping her body heat would bring her baby back to life.

She kept sobbing "No, no, no…" under her breath and began rocking back and forth. "Please not my baby. Not my baby!"

Sora, his own eyes filling with tears for this poor woman's loss, looked at the girl. Her eyes were open but they were hooded and dull. No life sparked within them. The sounds of the fighting behind them were lost as Sora gently rested his hand on the woman's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

The woman made no response, she only began to cry louder and in greater agony as the body in her arms began to fade away, an eerie blue glow resonating from where the girl's heart had once pounded. She fell through her mother's arms into nothingness and her heart sailed away to join the Heartless. The pain of failure swept through Sora but he knew it was nothing compared to how the mother felt, her arms still held out for a toddler that was no longer resting in them.

He stood to leave, knowing he had a duty to stop this happening to anyone else. But the pain in his heart was terrible and he didn't want to leave this crying woman alone. Trying to ignore his heart, he took a few steps away. The woman looked at him, her eyes lost amongst her tears. "Go. Please go. Leave me. Nothing matters now. Nothing."

Climbing back over the stall, Sora turned away, swiping at his own tears as he did so. Looking down toward the palace, he saw Zidane and Tifa hacking and punching their way through a hoard of Heartless. Unable to look at the woman again, he ran toward them, Keyblade raised. Anger flushed through him, anger and sadness at the Heartless and his own failure. He had to make it up somehow, starting now. Once in the midst of the Heartless with Zidane, who dispatched of a Heartless with a horrific bladed uppercut, and Tifa, whose deadly roundhouse knock a Heartless flying to its death, Sora unleashed Ars Arcanum and cut through the cluster of Heartless that blocked the Palace's gates. His glowing Keyblade span dizzying arcs through the air and it's final, devastating blow tore a hole in the Palace's huge gates, revealing the unkempt, wild garden on the other side. He ran in, and turned to see Zidane and Tifa following. But something odd happened. The Heartless stopped dead at the Palace's threshold and didn't cross it. The raggedly clothed mob just stopped, heads bowed and eyes hidden but watching the three intently nonetheless.

"That can't be a good sign," Tifa called out, slightly breathlessly.

"Just keep going," Sora called from the lead. "Maybe there's something here they're afraid of."

 _"The Heartless have great fear of the Keyblade."_

Could there be something Keyblade related in this place? Leon had said that their fear drove the Heartless to attack him. Was that why the Coliseum and Agrabah has suddenly come under attack - because the Keyblade was around? Did that mean that every world would get worse just because Sora had brought the Keyblade to them?

Zidane had to eventually take the lead; his daggers were needed to slice through the plants that had completely swallowed the path to the Palace's entrance. The three waded through the mess in silence, the only sound coming from the creaking, groaning plants that gave way under Zidane's attack. When the reached the grand palace's main entrance, all three were stained with green leaf stains and brown mud, and had numerous minor cuts where some of the garden's more vicious plants had scratched them with their long thorns.

Pushing hard against the giant intricately carved and gold-encrusted doors, Sora stilled his movements when Tifa placed a hand on his shoulder and motioned for silence. Listening intently, Sora began to hear what it was Tifa had noticed. Somewhere, from deep within the palace, came the sound of a beautiful female voice singing a wordless song. Puzzled and curious, Sora resumed his pushing and the ornate doors groaned open. The interior was lost in darkness, the once beautiful furnishings dulled beneath mounds of dust. The wide hallway was impressive in size but it had lost its glamour in wake of the chilled darkness. Everything was limp and dank, crying out for a little love that no one had the time to bestow upon it.

The woman's voice echoed louder now, her song like a beacon that gave Sora a slight sense of direction. Their footsteps left grooves in the old dust, a cruel mockery of snow as they walked past closed door after closed door. Sora's curiosity cried out to be unleashed but this was not the time to go investigating every room of this rambling place. At the end of the hallway, they were greeted with a set of stairs. The voice echoed from somewhere up high. Taking the lead, Sora led them up a spiralling staircase. A window greeted them at regular intervals, windows that opened up onto a view of the out of control garden, Agrabah's main market place and the desert beyond. The sun still shone brightly, still warmed the streets, but this place held no cheer, no people happy to just go about their everyday lives. It was so sad. Yet the song that echoed around seemed to contradict it all. The voice was full of joy and love. How could that be?

"It's probably one of those Heartless ghosts isn't it?" Sora suddenly realised, his pace slowing a little. "There's no one else in here."

"We'd still better check it out," Tifa replied. "The other Heartless didn't follow us in here. Maybe whatever it is in here they're afraid of."

"If they're afraid of it, shouldn't we be too?" Zidane muttered.

"Haven't you ever heard the enemy of my enemy is my friend?" Tifa retorted.

Ignoring the two, Sora hurried on and finally made it to the top of the winding stairs. It led onto another floor, one that was full of bright sunshine that shone through the huge open balconies. The dust here was contained within the shadows. Sora could almost believe that this place was still lived in, just not kept overly tidy.

The voice was coming from up ahead. Weapons held at the ready, all three ran on the tips of their feet to reduce the amount of noise for a surprise attack if one was necessary. They came to a room that had no door, only swathes of grimy, once pink and orange fabrics, which danced gently in the still air as if someone had only just disturbed them. Sora pushed his way through, the voice growing louder with each pass. And then, the tangling sheets were gone and he stood in the middle of a beautiful room with a huge bed in the centre and exquisite furnishings surrounding it. This wasn't just any bedroom - this was a bedroom belonging to a Princess.

A Princess who stood on the balcony outside, singing to herself.

Edging closer, Sora peered at the woman and came to a simple conclusion: he knew her. And when she turned around, she confirmed the fledgling idea in his mind.

"It's such a beautiful day, wouldn't you agree Sora?"

It was Jasmine. But she was different somehow. Her skin, that had always been dark, had taken on an even heavier tone. Her once turquoise clothes were now a fiery maroon. Her eyes seemed to glimmer somehow, containing a light that came from nowhere but within. Her hair was the strangest thing - it was like a block of black that blurred and fuzzed at the edges, as if Sora's vision wasn't quite right.

"How do you know her?" Zidane whispered as Jasmine began to walk towards them.

"It's a very long story," Sora replied. "I'll explain later." He turned back to Jasmine and walked towards her. "How did you get here? Where's Aladdin?"

They stopped in front of each other. There was an odd grin on Jasmine's face as she reached out and rested her hand on Sora's cheek. The light in her eyes suddenly flared. Ignoring everything Sora had said, she simply stated one fact.

"Sora, I'm going to kill you."


	8. Chapter 8

All The Roads We Have To Walk: Chapter Eight

Sora wasn't quite sure if he'd heard right. "Wha-what? Kill me?"

"Oh yes," Jasmine purred, stroking his cheek with one too-dark hand. "But not here, and not now. But I shall. I swore it would be me."

She stepped back and as she did so, she raked her sharp nails over his cheek, viciously drawing blood-welling gashes in his soft skin. He winced with the sting of it and drew a sharp breath as ice washed over the three cuts.

"No," he whispered, horrified. "No, you can't be a Heartless."

She backed away and then ran to the balcony. She looked at Sora once and with a sneer, leapt off the edge. Sora dashed over, looked to the gardens and saw her running with inhuman speed out of the palace grounds and back into the marketplace. He traced her movements until she was a mere blip on the shifting desert sands.

"Okay, what was that?" Zidane asked. "How did she know you? How do you know her?"

Sora's fingers traced the bloody, frozen grazes on his cheek. "She's a Heartless."

"Who is she?" Tifa asked, her voice a little more tactful.

His numbed brain managed to cough up the basic details of Jasmine's past and her status as a Princess of Heart.

"So she's supposed to be the opposite of who we just met," Zidane summarised.

Sora managed a nod. Jasmine had been kind, sweet and…normal. How had she arrived at her present condition? She knew him still, so she wasn't someone else who just resembled Jasmine. Did she know what was happening? She must do - her words were full of veiled hints. Maybe she could explain why everything was so different - if he could convince her his death was unnecessary.

Silently Sora turned and ran for the stairs. She was going into the desert and he would be right behind her. He was vaguely aware of Tifa hollering commands at someone but he didn't stop to listen. His booted feet thumped on the smooth marble floor and screeched as he skidded round corners in his mad dash to the sunlight and the desert that beckoned beyond.

The hot air of the outside was like a physical slap in the face as Sora ran from the shaded palace. Breath stolen by the intense heat, he still didn't stop running. Jasmine was in trouble. That was the only answer. She had to be under some kind of spell, a spell that he could break. Jasmine couldn't be a Heartless. She couldn't!

 _Failure doesn't suit you, does it? Poor hero. It's hard when you discover you're just as fallible as everyone else is._

"…wait!"

 _Do be a good little hero and try to correct this serious oversight. I'll be watching._

Sora's eyes were driven upwards. High up on Agrabah's rooftops someone dressed from head to toe in black swung around and disappeared, leaving no evidence except the concerned knowledge in Sora's mind that someone had definitely been up there. Up there and watching him.

"Sora!"

"Stop!"

And Stop Sora did. His body, frozen with one leg held off the ground in mid-run, no longer responded to his brain's commands and he realised that someone had woven magic around him.

Tifa and Zidane caught up to him and Zidane couldn't quite withhold a grin. "Nice work, as always, Tifa."

She too seemed to be in a mood too light for the situation. "Thank you." She even offered a little bow. She then placed a hand on Sora's shoulder. "Sorry about that but you can't just run off alone like that when the Heartless could still be lurking." She held out a small green orb that throbbed with a very gentle light. "Besides, how do you intend to cross the desert without our kind of assistance?" She shook her head with mild exasperation. "Esuna."

The green ball flashed brightly and movement suddenly returned, as if it had been merely a paused recording. Sora skidded to an awkward when he found himself unexpectedly dashing forward again. Walking back to Tifa and Zidane, he wasted no time with angry protests. Instead he offered a calm statement. "We've got to go after her." And then: "What was that green ball?"

Walking forward, Tifa held out the green orb for Sora to hold. "Its called Materia - Green Master Materia to be specific. It contains all forms of attack, defensive and restorative magic," she explained as the three walked on at a slower but no less urgent pace. "I have four others…" She held out her right arm and around the wrist where her fighting gloves laced up was a thick metal bangle. A closer inspection revealed five orb-shaped indentations, one of which was empty - until Tifa slipped the green orb back in place. The others held a yellow, purple, blue and dark red orb respectively. "Unfortunately I only have the Green Master Materia. The other Masters were lost with my world." Tifa's face held a deeply sad look for a moment, and had Sora been looking he would've noticed how common such a look was among his newest companions.

Tifa shook herself. "Anyway, the Yellow Materia is called Enemy Skill. It allows me to learn and use my enemies' attacks. Purple is Magic Plus and it's ability is obvious. Blue is Elemental. Paired with my Green Materia, it protects me from all element-based attacks such as Fire, Blizzard and Thunder. And finally, the Red is a summon…."

"Really? You have summons too?"

"Yes. This is Bahamut."

"Cool. I lost my summons after their worlds were restored but…" The market's entrance to the desert was now visible, and Sora could see people gathering and looking their way. Hurriedly he switched topics and asked: "So how do you use Materia?"

Tifa saw the crowd too. "I'll tell you in a minute. Let me just finalise some details."

Tifa jogged ahead and Zidane fell into step with Sora. "Do you use Materia?" Sora asked.

Zidane shook his head. "Magic has never been my thing so I leave the stuff well alone." He grinned suddenly. "Besides, I've got my own ways of fighting."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. You'll see."

Sora raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

Zidane looked mighty pleased with himself. "Yeah."

"Hey!" The pair looked over to Tifa who was waving an arm in the air. "Our ride's here! Let's move!"

Stepping once again beyond the boundaries of Agrabah's marketplace, Sora couldn't help but steal one last glance at the rooftops. No, there was nothing. Of course there was nothing.

 _Soon. Very soon. I'll be back. You'll see again soon. But see what? Oh, who can tell?_

Leaving the market and the palace behind, Sora saw Tifa climbing into a very unusual looking machine. A few of the engineers from the Highwind stood by, the obvious deliverers of the giant contraption. It towered at least nine foot into the air, leaving all it's passengers to climb ladders to reach its doors. But it wasn't the main seating and engine compartment that gave the vehicle its excessive height. No, the thing had four of the biggest, thickest black tires Sora had seen, period. Destiny Islands had had a few automobiles here and there but none compared to this monster that towered in front of Sora now.

Even Zidane seemed suitably impressed, whistling as he stood back briefly to admire it before swinging himself aboard, Sora climbing up close behind. "My world had a thing about airships but this…this is just something else."

"It's called a Buggy," Tifa answered, hitting a few buttons on the dashboard and sealing the doors. There was an ever so slight air of smugness in her tone. "Barret, Red and I used one regularly on our world and when we joined the rescue effort and discovered Agrabah, we figured it'd come in useful. I used my PHS phone to call in for it back in the palace." She glanced over to Sora, who sat by opposite the door. "Which way? I have scanners that can located the Heartless but only within a five mile radius."

"Uh…" The Carpet had done all the navigating before, shooting in straight lines before turning a few dizzying twists on the way to the Cave of Wonders. There had to be a an alternative means of finding it though…

 _There is darkness in every heart._

Sora's hand floated lightly over his chest, a frown touching his forehead. He didn't want this to work but somehow he knew it would. To actually use the darkness…wasn't that utterly deadly? For this one time though, it had to be done. His eyes closed and he focused on the feeling he always had when approaching the Heartless: the feeling that something vitally important had gone missing, like a light in the dark had flickered out. Stretching his senses was like stretching a muscle; he just had to keep pushing that little bit further despite how hard that little bit further was. The Heartless were out there in the desert, and they were at the Cave of Wonders. He could feel the nothingness their presence left behind, like several miles away all life had ceased.

Opening his eyes, Sora's heart gave a strange thud. He saw nothing of the Buggy even though he could still feel its engine throbbing and knew he was still seated. Only darkness shimmered in front of his eyes. Silence rang in his ears, echoing emptily before something filled the void. Water was gushing somewhere. It swept in front of his eyes.

 _This is where you will find…._

"So, anything?"

Turning, the darkness shrank away and the Buggy was back and Tifa was looking at him expectantly. Shaking off a deep chill, Sora nodded. For a moment his mind lingered on the shadows but he managed to force the thoughts away and grin as another thought replaced it. "I know where to go, so can I drive?"

Tifa responded by pushing down on a pedal, wrenching the gears to urge the Buggy onwards.

"Never get in-between a beautiful girl and her monster machine," Zidane advised with a brotherly pat on Sora's shoulder.

"Do you want me to push you out and leave you to walk?"

"I would love to see you try."

"Head north west," Sora chuckled, neatly interrupting the fight before it got properly started.

The Buggy bounced along the sand and everyone remained silent. Sora's hand had once again landed on his chest. Something was different there now that he'd willing reached out to the dark. But if he was using the dark to fight the dark then surely there was no risk of him losing his heart again...was there? Had that strange moment been some kind of warning?

"Scanners are picking up a lot of Heartless activity about three miles from here," Tifa broke into Sora's thoughts. "I'd say we're definitely on the right path."

Sora sat up a little straighter and peered through the front windshield. He could just about make out the large crater where the Cave Of Wonders lurked. The sun was starting to set but for the first time ever, it wouldn't be nighttime when Sora, Tifa and Zidane arrived at the ancient treasure-trove.

Tifa pulled the Buggy to a stop at the crater's lip and all three jumped out, expecting Heartless to come streaming out of the gaping cave mouth. But nothing came. Everything remained hidden, elusive.

Keyblade once again in his hand, Sora took the lead. "I know where they are. They're inside and I'm sure they're gonna be by the Keyhole. Jasmine too."

"You've been here before?" Zidane asked.

 _You've been everywhere_.

"Yes, a while ago. I know my way around."

"We've never been given access before," Zidane said quietly, as if he feared excessive sound would summon the Heartless. "Even when this world is at peace, people fear this place. The claim it's cursed."

"Because of the Heartless?" Sora asked as they edged up to the cave's entrance.

"Who knows," Zidane replied. "You'd ask someone 'What's up with that Cave of Wonders?' and they'd run a mile."

They stood on the cave's threshold and nothing attacked. Sora took the first few golden lit steps gingerly, Keyblade clasped in a sweaty hand, but still nothing swept up from below or swooped down from behind. Confidence building, he jogged lightly to the bottom and peeked into the Cave of Wonder's first chamber. The air was crisp as Sora ducked into the large hall. The Heartless had definitely been here. The room was exactly the same as it had always been, but the Heartless had tainted in nonetheless, their mark intangible but definitely in the air.

Sora had only taken a few steps into the chamber before his eye was drawn to something. At the far end of the hall, leading onto the next chamber, a procession of solemn figures walked ever so slowly through the archway. They came quite literally out of nowhere, men and women sticking in regimental lines dressed in long robes and carrying piles of jewellery and even live animals. Fear quivered in him as he watched them march, most the time their feet not even touching the ground, but he swallowed hard. They were just lost spirits, old memories even, conjured up by the presence of the Heartless.

"Sora move!"

Looking behind him Sora saw faceless a crowd, dressed the same as the members of the procession, walking straight at him. High jumping upwards, Sora managed to somersault on top of a platform and avoid being passed through. He watched as with each step the figures faded until they were simply no longer there. He knew that those people weren't real but once upon a time they'd been as alive as he was. It was so sad to watch them vanish, their lives reduced to a mere haunting.

Hopping back down, the air registered an even deeper chill as Sora landed on his feet just ahead of Zidane and Tifa. Silently he led the way into the next chamber, his booted footsteps almost silent as he crept into the most enormous space contained within the Cave of Wonders. Again, the Heartless made not so much as a scuffle in the stilled air but that only made Sora more cautious. The Heartless and Jasmine were here, waiting for them and all this silence did nothing to dissuade him from that belief, that knowledge. He remembered to stop and wait for the gigantic rolling stone to pass by before stepping over its tracks, his casual dismissal of the huge boulder only adding to Tifa and Zidane's shock at the lethal trap. They were only to receive further shocks as, instead of taking the easy stair-route near the chamber's next doorway, Sora leapt atop the oddly chiselled stone faces that suddenly shot out white streams.

"Salt acid," Sora called back with a grin. "Very nasty."

He completed his leapfrogging and dismounted with a neat front somersault. Zidane's attempt was equally springy; he didn't even so much as pause between flipping onto each figurehead. Tifa, refusing to be outdone, jumped over easily and unleashed a half-twisting, split-leg back somersault at the end.

"We don't have time for this," she said, breezing past the two teens. "Let's move it."

Blond and brunette turned to each other. "Women are confusing," Sora muttered.

Zidane offered a sigh and a shake of his head. "Yeah, but eventually you'll get used to it." He leaned close as Tifa strolled into the next chamber. "It's called PM…"

"Zidane!"

"And you like to pretend you're not into all that girly stuff!" Zidane protested, a little too loudly for Sora's liking. This was a dangerous place, not a fun-packed family night out.

Tifa called to them from beyond the doorway. "It's amazing what kind of a reaction your comments can…"

The rest of Tifa's words were lost in a scream that grew increasingly distant until, without warning, she fell silent. Without a glance at each other, Sora and Zidane raced after her. Shoulder to shoulder, neither had the chance to stop short and save the other as the Bottomless Chamber lived up to its name. What had remained of the floor from Sora's previous visit had simply gone, a yawning chasm replacing it. But that didn't seem to stop Jasmine. Sora barely managed to catch a glimpse of her walking on thin air before his feet hit nothing and his body began to fall.

As he tumbled into the darkness, Jasmine turned, her body blurring and losing focus around the edges before snapping back to normal. She watched disinterestedly as he plummeted.

"They're coming for you." The words, with their sinister edge, were spoken softly but they reached Sora's ears with unnerving precision. "But it'll be me you'll see. I'll kill you soon."

Jasmine passed into the treasure chamber and Sora's back hit water with bruising force. Waves crashed over him and he sank, deeper and deeper.

 _Remind you of anything? Any old dreams? Oh…what were the words?_

Sora fought to swim upwards but the force of his fall, and some unseen current dragged him further down. His body grew limp as unseen tides tugged him away.

 _Oh, of course…I've been having these weird…._

But the voice's dry tone was lost as Sora's mind began to drift away into the cloying water, desperate to escape the convulsing burn in his chest. He knew he was drowning, but the knowledge was useless in his powerless state.

The water's surface was invisible. He tried to reach for it but his arm refused to budge. He was trapped; lost in water that seemed to span forever. He barely even managed to register how cold the water was growing. Something brushed past him, but he couldn't see what it was as the water grew murkier and his mind continued to flee consciousness. Something looped around his right wrist, and then his left wrist, but he no longer cared.

But then, agony struck and he gasped, only to replace what little air left in his lungs with choking water. Ice pierced his chest, and sank into his heart. Lungs beyond agony, heart jerking weakly, everything else was lost to him.

He faded.


	9. Chapter 9

All The Roads We Have To Walk: Chapter Nine

 _Drifting. He was drifting up through that lake. Blue eyes opened and gazed upwards. That old, forlorn castle stood above him, its image swaying in the water._

 _He gazed down and there it was, that same castle only happier._

 _Two castles. One derelict, one full of life._

 _What did it mean?_

 _He broke the surface and with a shuddering gasp, drew air into his starved lungs. He opened his eyes and stared into them, the blue orbs mirrored perfectly on the water. Standing up and taking several horrified steps away, he found himself stationed once again on that lake, only this time it was the happy castle that stood in the distance. There was even life in the air as birds flitted and sang through the sky. He tried to run but the water held him. Frustrated, he looked down again. His shadow, his shadow, shot him a malevolent grin. Confused, he tried to run again but before he could even heave a breath, his black shadow lurched forward and grabbed his ankles, pulling him down into the water once more._

 _His dark self wrapped around him pulled him deeper and deeper. He watched in horror as his shadow placed a hand on his chest and pushed. The hand slipped inwards and a clamp of ice plunged into his heart._

 _"We're connected, you and I. Connected forever."_

 _No…it couldn't be possible! They were two separate beings and only he had the right to exist. The other was a fake, created by a friend who was lost in the darkness, a friend whose cries for help fell on deaf ears._

 _"You don't believe me?"_

 _No, never! NEVER!_

 _"You need to breathe."_

 _A desperate instinct kicked in and breathe he did._

Sora's back arched off the ground as he heaved harshly for air. Gagging on water, he rolled over blindly and vomited a hideous concoction of water and bile. His chest ached terribly and his heart was pounding painfully against his ribs. Coughing, he managed to open his eyes as he drew himself to his hands and knees. The air was cold enough for his ragged breaths to mist in the air and float away, much like his half-formed thoughts. All he really knew was his chest hurt, and not only from the frozen air that slithered into his lungs with each gasp. When he mustered the strength, Sora lifted his head and looked around.

He was in the chamber where he had once fought Jafar. Back then molten lava had been pouring from the walls and oozing into rivers. Back then the heat had almost been unbearable. Now the walls were encased in ice and the air was thick with a chill that further pierced his painful chest.

Climbing to slightly dizzy feet, Sora looked around and realised he was alone in this frigid place. Tifa and Zidane were nowhere in sight, and that made Sora's stomach sink with fear and anxiety. What if they were still lost in those caverns, drowned in that dark water?

Sora stiffened as two arms wrapped themselves around his shoulders. "Did I get your attention?" Jasmine's hands stroked his chest and Sora winced as pain shot across his torso yet again, sharp and jabbing before dulling down and joining the main ache. She leaned into him and pulled him closer, her breath uncomfortably hot on his neck. Yet it was an odd contrast to the chill of her body that sought to infect Sora. "My Heartless weren't too harsh were they? Those bruises you have are dreadful. I checked while you were dreaming."

He tried to speak but his throat was sore and swollen from the harsh coughing after his near drowning and his voice was lost. Rendered silent, Sora's only means of communication was to try and struggle free of Jasmine's overly powerful grip on him. His feet skidded on the ice and his body began to shiver more and more but he didn't stop. He knew he had to get away from her. He knew there was nothing he could do to help her, now that her deathly cold body was caressing his. He felt that she was a Heartless. No spell had been cast on her mind. No evil man in the shadows controlled her with his whim. She was a Heartless, plain and simple. Hope fragmented within Sora before it was lost beneath a wave of confusion. How had this happened?

She pacified his fruitless struggles easily with a thump to his chest and he doubled over in silent, choking pain, still in her arms, breathing unevenly. "No, no, no," she admonished, as though talking to a naughty pet. "The time has come Sora. I will be the one to take your heart and leave you to die, and it will only be me."

He wanted to scream why but he couldn't even whisper the words. Questions were swamping his mind but all were left in frustrated silence, locked in his mind to bounce around without their answers.

Jasmine's right hand pushed hard against his chest and Soraknew exactly what she was doing. He didn't want to fight her but what choice did he have? She wasn't the same person anymore. She wasn't a person at all. Teeth grinding together as the pain increased, the Keyblade shone in his hands and he unleashed an overhead sweep and caught Jasmine's right shoulder. She screamed out, surprised and angered, and released him. Sora fell away but regained his balance quickly and swung around. Jasmine was nowhere to be seen. Left, right, she simply didn't stand there. But what about…

Sora barely managed to leap backwards as Jasmine came flying out of the sky, foot extended for a disabling kick. Feet slipping on the ice, Sora crashed to the floor painfully, his left ankle twisting beneath him. He had very little experience with ice beyond his mother telling bedtime stories involving happy children skating on frozen lakes and making snowmen. He wasn't quite sure how to fight this battle, especially when Jasmine was moving as though the ice simply wasn't there. Sora was already growing tired, his body desperate for a long rest. His heart was pounding and his breathing was still harsh but Jasmine wasn't going to stop just because he was unwell.

"Oh I love it when my prey play hard to get." She chuckled, racing circles around him and ready for him as he regained his footing, her feral grin sending shudders down his spine. "Makes the kill all the more rewarding."

She shot forwards but Sora was ready for her. Speed was essential and the frictionless ice, if used right, would help. Unleashing Sonic Blade, Sora glided over the ice, Keyblade held out ready to strike. The pair met and the Keyblade touched the first hit with Sora's full weight behind it, tearing across Jasmine's chest and rending a horrifically deep wound. She cried out and stumbled to the ground and Sora swung around, thrusting the Keyblade into the ice and stone to break his forward motion and help him turn around. It took more effort than he would've liked and Sora felt more of his energy being sapped away and the chill bit deeper into him. His left ankle throbbed as he stood on it with his full weight but for now it held. Jasmine swept herself off the ground and looked at the bloodless tear in her body with a strange amusement.

"It's been hard getting used to this," she said, fingers exploring the mess. "I should be dead and yet here I am."

Sora moved and lobbed a Strike Raid but at the same time, Jasmine reached out with her arms and the two became long shadows that crossed the distance and wrapped themselves around his body, pinning his arms uselessly to his sides. With a wisp of black smoke, she was suddenly standing right in front of him and blocking his vision of everything but her. He heard his Keyblade clatter uselessly to the ground where Jasmine had been standing.

"Nice try Sora." Her hands were at his heart again. "But not good enough. You're never good enough."

All seemed lost. Jasmine arms released their hold on his own and she curled herself around him, hands already poised to delve once again into his heart. Sora bowed his head as pain flared again within him. His eyes fell upon his reflection in the ice. Shivering, an idea sparkled in his mind. Grabbing Jasmine's shoulders, ignoring the repulsive sensation of touching that gaping hole, Sora moved his feet backwards. He overbalanced and crashed to the ice, taking Jasmine with him. He planted his good foot on Jasmine's chest when his back was on the ground and Sora threw her over his head. She was far more powerful than before, but she certainly didn't weigh any heavier and she sailed through the air and crashed down hard on the platform's very edge, the ice cracking beneath her. Sora was already skating across to the Keyblade and had it clasped in his trembling hand even as Jasmine was slowly regaining her footing. But Sora didn't let her. Aiming the Keyblade and focusing his magic, he unleashed a powerful Firaga ball, the coldness of his body only serving to make the fire burn hotter and brighter as his mind filtered through image after image of warmth. The spell exploded off the Keyblade and engulfed Jasmine, pushing her over the platform's edge. He would never forget the sound he heard next, the sound of snapping bones, ripped sinew and a scream cut off in torment. Already queasy, and wanting nothing more than to lie down, Sora went and looked down. It only took one glance to know Jasmine wouldn't be getting back up. What had once been a lava pit was now home to stalagmites the colour of a bright winter sky.

Jasmine had landed on one, the crystalline spike piercing through her stomach.

No blood seeped from her Heartless body but Sora's imagination was already filling in the gaps. His knees shook and his stomach quailed but his eyes couldn't look away.

"F-finish me."

He shook his head.

"Y-you'd l-let me d-die like this? Ha, s-some hero."

He wanted to say, "Please, please don't make me" but his voice was lost. All he could do was stare and listen helplessly.

"C-coward! C-can't believe I'll have to l-leave it to one of the others t-to kill you."

 _She's not Jasmine. She's a Heartless. Can't you make a clear definition between the two? Are you really so naïve?_

His grip on the Keyblade grew tighter. He was not naïve.

 _You've got a heart. Use it. Put her out of her misery. It's the best thing._

With her death, all his questions would remain unanswered.

 _It's not like you can ask any of them anyway._

He held the Keyblade up, ready to attack.

"S-so you do have a b-backbone. Good. Good."

 _Strike Raid._

"S-say hello to Kairi f-for me."

The Keyblade hit home and Jasmine faded, a ghostly heart fleeing into the sky. Sora caught it on return almost as an afterthought. Why Kairi? Why did Jasmine mention her? Kairi was safe. Kairi had to be safe. Sora would know if she was in danger, wouldn't he?

Easing away from the edge, his mind was still replaying Jasmine's final moments over and over. Surely there could have been a better way to…

 _To kill her? One death is the same as any other. Death is death. It's all the same. It doesn't matter how it happens._

Sora shook his head. No, that wasn't true.

 _You are naïve._

The Keyblade gave a tremor and dragged Sora's arm upwards. High above he could see the Lamp Chamber where the Keyhole stood. A beam of familiar light shot out of the Keyblade and after a few moments he heard the loud clunk and knew the Keyhole was once again sealed. The light broke off and the Keyblade fell away. Sora, eyes still turned upward, watched as an object tumbled from the sky. When it hit the ground, he realised it was a box. A box that was identical to the one discovered at the Coliseum.

Hands growing rapidly numb, he fumbled for several moments with the stubborn lid before finally managing to prise it off. Again, only a scrap of paper laid within, it's words part of a fragmented whole.

 _Only for revenge,_

 _Only to bring the Heartless._

Sora knew it would make a little more sense when put with the other piece left aboard the Highwind but his memory refused to give him the words. His mind was numb and a cough rattled in his still not-right chest. The longer he stood still, the worse he felt but he couldn't imagine moving beyond slumping to his knees, which he was already doing.

"Sora!"

He looked over and saw Tifa and Zidane, both looking very wet and very cold, running over to him, both a little unsteady on the ice but managing to stay upright.

"Are you alright?" Tifa asked worriedly as Zidane helped Sora to his feet. "We woke up on chunk of rock and heard fighting. We had to swim and fight off some Heartless but it looks like we finally found you." She eyed him critically. "You don't look well. What happened?"

Sora shook his head silently. What else could he do?

"Are you hurt?" Zidane asked.

Sora nodded tiredly. Being mute was tiresome. Very, very tiresome.

"Where?" Zidane continued.

Sora found himself shaking his head again and he raised a hand to his mouth.

"You have toothache?" Zidane said uncertainly.

"No, idiot, I think he's lost his voice," Tifa said, slapping Zidane's arm.

Sora gave a thumbs up. Bingo, Tifa.

Tifa cast a quick Cure3 but it did little. All it really did was provide Sora with a little more energy.

"That won't work Tifa," Zidane said. "I've seen this before. He'll have to rest to get his voice back."

Tifa nodded. "Well, we'll see about that as soon as we get out of here. Can you walk Sora?" she asked.

He nodded but held Zidane's shoulder a little tighter to stop the tailed man from letting him stand alone - because that was a one way ticket to hitting the ground.

"Okay, let's get moving. I've got a plan to get out of here," Tifa said, leading them away from Jasmine and towards the opposite side of the platform. "I think I can save us a swim."

"Why not call for backup?" Zidane asked.

"The PHS was broken in the water," Tifa explained, taking the steps that led down to the water's edge very carefully. "We haven't figured out a way to make it waterproof yet and I certainly didn't expect this to happen."

Sora, once safely at the bottom of the slippery stairs, looked at the water. Reluctance to so much as dip a finger in it swamped him and he dreaded the thought of swimming again. The underground lake led off into the caverns and he knew that once they were up the stairs onto the Cave of Wonders' main level it was just a few more steps to the outside world and the warmth of the desert.

"Okay, hope you two are good at walking on ice."

Tifa failed to notice Sora's glare.

"Because here's my plan."

She held out her hands and the Green Materia orb glowed a bright green. "Ice3!"

Bright blue ice shot out from Tifa's hands and whisked over the water and into the cavern, leaving in its wake solid ice. Tifa stomped a foot on the lake a few times before stepping onto it. "It's safe."

Zidane's jaw hung open in disbelief. "Why the hell didn't you do that before?"

"I didn't want to waste my energy in case we had something bigger to fight. Looks like Sora took care of that though."

Sora gave Tifa a tired 'you're welcome' smile.

Zidane stepped onto the ice first and held out a hand to Sora, who followed carefully. Sora, having had quite enough experience of ice-related bruising for one lifetime, summoned the Keyblade and used it to steady himself and Zidane. Tifa breezed onwards, casting Ice3 again every now and then when she came across a weak spot or unfrozen water. Within fifteen minutes they were at the stairway that led back up and Sora mounted it with the most amount of relief. The air was already growing warmer as they headed up but it only served to make him shiver more. Still, at least they were away from the frozen caverns.

And a few minutes later, the ice was barely a believable memory as the desert heat rose up. Day had come and bathed the golden sands in basking sunlight.

"We were gone a lot longer than I thought," Tifa said as she led the way back up to the buggy. "Well, I dunno about you two but I think a very warm drink is in order."

Sora's list of warm things was a little longer but all he could do was nod. Top of his list though was sleep and he intended to get as much of it as soon as possible.

"Looks like we'll have to return to base," Zidane said as he helped Sora climb the steep dune. "Sora needs to rest and we'll need to restock. I dunno about you Tifa but I'm running low on Elixirs after all those Heartless."

"Yeah, you're right. But good thing they stopped attacking when they did otherwise we would've been in trouble."

Tifa and Zidane looked at Sora and he smiled blandly. Yes, he had the answer but they'd have to wait.

They'd reached the top of the dune and the buggy stood there, ready and waiting to be driven. Tifa took up the driving position while Zidane climbed aboard and then helped lift Sora aboard. Once seated, it took Sora a grand total of five seconds to fall asleep, head resting on the side window. Tifa drove as fast as always but even the bumpy ride did nothing to disturb Sora's exhausted slumber. She looked over once and saw even Zidane was fading.

"Get some rest Zidane," she said, her eyes firmly fixed on the golden sands. "You took a few nasty hits earlier."

"You sure?" he asked through a yawn. "Don't want you to feel lonely."

Tifa rolled her eyes. "Oh, just one thing."

"What?"

"You said you've seen someone in Sora's condition before."

Sleep was suddenly the last thing on Zidane's mind. "The situation was very different but the big problem was the same."

"How long do you think it will take for him to recover? Not everyone on the council is ecstatic about him being around and the last thing we need to do is offer them an excuse to stop Sora from doing whatever it is he and that Keyblade need to do."

"A few days probably. Sora's a tough kid. This won't stop him for long. And like I said, it's not the same as the other time I saw someone lose their voice. I probably shouldn't have mentioned it."

"You still can't talk about her can you?" Tifa said, finally seeing the marketplace on the horizon.

"Don't. Please don't."

"Someday Zidane you'll have to open up to someone. If you don't you'll tear yourself apart."

"Yeah, maybe"

The rest of the journey was carried out in silence. When Zidane was musing Tifa knew to leave him well alone. She cast a few glances over to Sora but the Keyblade wielder seemed peaceful enough aside from the odd cough now and then. He was still shivering but there was nothing she could do about that until they returned to the Highwind. Still, she could make a mental note to keep blankets in stock from now on.

Tifa knew they'd have to keep everything very quiet lest the council heard and seized the opportunity to stop Sora's mission. She didn't exactly know what had happened back in that cave but the fact remained that whatever Sora was doing, it was definitely for the best. A sealed keyhole lead to the disappearance of the Heartless on the world and that was only a good thing. Well, she had already thought of a good excuse for stopping by Hollow Bastion once again.

She shook her head. Life had always been hard but it seemed to be even further complicated since Sora arrived on the scene.


	10. Chapter 10

All The Roads We Have To Walk: Chapter Ten

Sora awoke in the same small little cabin aboard the Highwind he'd spent the last three days in. At least he was finally starting to feel a lot better. The cough that had woken him up constantly was easing off, the bruising on his chest was starting to go down and even his throat was far less sore.

Of course, he still couldn't talk.

Tifa had explained to him, exactly when he couldn't pinpoint, that his present condition had to stay hidden from the Council. Apparently all they needed was the slightest hint he wasn't doing what he was meant to do and they'd put a halt to his efforts indefinitely. So, while she'd gone to oversee the restocking at Hollow Bastion, he'd remained cooped up on the Highwind. He'd woken up at some point to find Yuna sitting by him, deftly wrapping bandages around his chest. She'd spoken about lots of things in her cheery way but Sora had faded out at some point and when he'd awoken it had been to the company of Red, and later Zidane. Sora had spent most of his time sleeping, huddled beneath blankets when the chill of the Heartless seemed to burrow through his entire body. This morning's awakening was the first time he'd awoken and felt relatively good.

Only he still couldn't speak.

He sat up and reached for the glass of water by his bed, drinking gratefully. Blankets pulled up high around his shoulders, he mused for a moment. Zidane had told him yesterday (at least, Sora was fairly certain it had been yesterday) that they were now orbiting the world of Atlantica. Sora had sighed at Zidane's location announcement. More water… great! No wait, more freezing water. His life was just getting better and better.

And his life was getting better and better… if Atlantica's current waterless condition was enough to please him. Zidane had anticipated Sora's reaction (apparently Red had forced a few history lessons on him) and quickly corrected the Keybearer. According to Zidane, Atlantica had been dried out for a decade or so.

Scratch another friend off the list then, Sora thought as sat up a little straighter. He tried to not give in to the grimmer thoughts in his mind but he wasn't doing very well. He was truly starting to believe he wasn't going to find any familiar faces on these altered worlds. All he could do was hope that wherever Donald, Goofy, Kairi, Riku and all his other friends were, they were safe and happy.

Except Jasmine…she was…

Suddenly deciding he'd had quite enough of his poky room, Sora threw off his blankets and got dressed. A few minutes later he emerged from his room and walked off to the bridge, the route memorised now. Once there, he found Tifa standing by the huge glass screen sipping a hot drink and looking down on the world below, it's dull bluish grey rocks almost like a bright light in the darkness of space.

She saw his reflection in the glass. "It's a sad looking place isn't it?"

He stepped up and looked down. Sora wished he could blurt out how beautiful the blue waters had been when the light created intricately endless webs of white on the ocean floor like an aimless painter. He wanted to tell Tifa all about the Kingdom of Atlantica and how, when he'd been growing increasingly worried about Riku and Kairi, the deep ocean had been so soothing to his worried heart - once the Heartless had been dispatched of course.

But he couldn't, so he stood alone with his memories.

"Zidane's on the surface with a few others. They've been checking into Heartless activity on the world with a few members of the outpost we've got set up here. They'll be back soon. One of the survey team - an artist who creates maps of the surface - had a fall and Zidane thinks she might've broken her leg. It's not easy down there - the waters were obviously very deep at one point and we have to use ropes to climb up and down the rocks. And on top of that," Tifa continued after a deep swig of her drink, "for some reason all magic is completely useless. It's just impossible to summon up even the most meagre of fire spells."

Sora frowned. He'd never heard of anything like that before.

"If you're feeling up to it we'll head down ourselves a little later and find the Keyhole."

Sora nodded. So far the Keyhole's had been in the same place…although the Coliseum had been kind of different - maybe because the place it had once been no longer existed. Was it even possible for Keyholes to move? He didn't exactly see why they couldn't…after all, as long as they sealed the world it didn't matter if they were in the sky, on the side of a building or floating in mid-air. There had certainly never been a pattern to Keyhole locations.

Feeling thought-induced hunger stirring in his stomach, Sora turned away from Tifa and went over to the breakfast bar. Picking out his usual fruit and a beaker of water, Sora returned to Tifa's side.

She looked a little uncomfortable as she spoke. "I don't know if you were awake when Red said this but he thinks there's something more to your voice-loss than simple illness."

Sora chewed on his banana. He'd begun to expect as much but it wasn't as if he could voice his concerns.

"He and Yuna are both looking into a few ideas, and Zidane pitched a couple himself. Whatever it is, we'll get to the bottom of it."

Sora offered a thumbs-up as he washed the fruit down with a gulp of water. Then, he offered Tifa a smile. Was it to reassure her that he was feeling happy in spite of everything? Maybe he was trying to convince himself that everything was fine when, in fact, most of the time he felt like he was tumbling down an endless hill with no way to save himself.

"After this world we'll stop by Hollow Bastion again and check in with Red." Tifa noticed Sora's look of confusion. "Oh, don't worry about the Council. They asked for an update after Atlantica anyway." She frowned and tapped a finger to her lips. "How exactly we'll get through that I'm not so sure but we'll figure it out when we have to, right?"

Sora's eyebrows provided his "Yes". He could imagine the Council ordering him to remain at Hollow Bastion forever because he couldn't explain his actions and Tsuko especially would find that highly suspicious. Sora gave a silent sigh. Tsuko was paranoid enough to have Sora locked away deep in Hollow Bastion's bowels.

Maybe he'd even be thrown into that secret area very few had access to.

Sora's imagination had carried him so far into his doom at Hollow Bastion that he didn't notice Zidane's dusty arrival on the bridge.

"How's Relm?" Tifa asked. "Was her leg broken?"

Sora jerked out of his musings in time to turn and see Zidane nod. "It's not a pretty sight. She's still down on Atlantica in the outpost's sickbay with the doctor. He reckons she's gonna be laid up for a few months. It's a bad break - the bone's coming through the skin." Sora winced at the thought. "He said once he's operated we'll be able to bring her aboard and take her back to Hollow Bastion."

Tifa sighed. "How did it happen?"

Zidane brushed some of the blue dust off his trousers. "She thought she spotted something sticking out of a rock and climbed down to look but she was attacked by a Heartless and lost her balance. It was close but we managed to get to her before the Heartless finished what they started." He looked over at Sora. "There are a lot of them down there in the caves, floating around in pretty big packs. You sure you feel up to dealing with something like this?"

Shrugging, Sora walked forwards and stood with Zidane. What choice did any of them have? If the Heartless were down there, they had to be stopped and only one person aboard this ship could do that. Tipping his head towards the door was Sora's equivalent of "Let's go".

"I'll come with you and stay with Relm," Tifa decided aloud. "Poor girl will need a friendly face I'm sure."

When the three reached the ship's exit several minutes later, Sora found himself wondering how exactly they were going to descend to the planet's surface, seeing as the ship hadn't landed as it normally did. Zidane seemed utterly unconcerned by this issue and pressed the switch that opened the sealed hatchway. Sora was much relieved then, when another cockpit-like area greeted him instead of open sky. Following behind his friends, Sora headed for the nearest window and peered out of it, marvelling at how high they were and how spectacular the view of the distant land and endless sky was. If he could've done so, he would've laughed joyfully. Instead all he could do was smile brightly, and that was enough for his heart to lift out of its melancholy. So enchanted was he, he missed Tifa nudging Zidane who, after setting the surface-to-ship cargo lift into motion, looked over at him and smiled himself. It was good to see a real smile on Sora's face. It made him look his age, rather than like a boy who'd been forced to mature quickly. When he realised he was being watched Sora turned and grinned at Tifa and Zidane. It was remarkable how untroubled one who had been through much could appear simply because he was in awe.

Sora's eyes asked the questions his voice could not and Tifa couldn't stop herself from smiling as she explained this latest technological marvel. "When we discovered how the lift technology at Hollow Bastion worked, we wanted to try it out at another location to see if it would work. It took a bit of ingenuity and creativity but we got it set up in the end."

"It's all kinda technical but there's a guiding beam that sorta connects the ship to the ground and the lift runs along that," Zidane scratched his head. "I think…"

Sora nodded eagerly, not needing any precisely calculated specifics. As long as the thing worked, he didn't much care how it did it. Unlike so many boys on his island home, he'd never poured over an automobile's engine or fiddled around with a fishing boat's motor. If it worked, it worked and Sora didn't really want to know how. Same with the Gummi ship. Sure it looked awesome and Cid had shown him how to make basic repairs but did he know how the thing actually worked? Not really, no.

The lift came to a stop and all aboard disembarked. Sora stepped out onto Atlantica's dusty blue surface and something in his heart seemed to shrink away. He looked over at Tifa, specifically at her wrist, and when he realised her Materia had become tainted with stony grey he knew that the strange feeling in his heart was his own, newly constrained magic.

Following behind Tifa and Zidane, Sora headed for the fairly large outpost building. It was made of light brown wood and looked as though it had several floors above and below ground, for there were windows that sank into the ground and Sora realised there was a waterless, bridged moat to cross to get to the front door. The outpost took up a considerable chunk of ground and looked as though it was bigger than the Coliseum had been prior to its current state. Whatever was going on here, it looked as though everything had been established some time ago.

Once through the heavy, steel reinforced door, Sora looked at the wall that greeted him with big, bold silver letters. _Welcome to Atlantica it proclaimed. Second only to Hollow Bastion._ Below that someone had tacked up a piece of white paper with big, scrawling red letters. _They'll come crying to us someday!_

"Rivalry," Zidane said, with a raised finger and a knowing look, "is good for the soul. Keeps you on your toes."

 _Or leaves you not knowing where one of your oldest, closest friends is hey Sora?_

Sora refocused his attention on the sign, below which was a list of every floor and every room. Training Hall 1, Training Hall 2, Science Labs 1-5, Briefing rooms 1-5, Lecture halls 1-3, Tech Hall, Hangers 1-3, Weapons Caches, Main Weapon Locker, Canteen, Male dorm areas, Female dorm areas, sickbay…This place really did have everything.

"I'm going to go straight down to sickbay," Tifa said, turning left once they stepped inside. "You two had better meet the survey team and get going as soon as you can."

"Alrighty."

While Tifa took the left staircase down, Sora and Zidane took the right one up. Zidane explained that only unessential equipment was kept downstairs in case the Heartless attacked during the night and breached the outer defences. Sora would've asked what outer defences? But he couldn't so he filed that question away under Things I Will Ask When I Can Talk Again.

Fear of attack also explained why the stairs appeared to end at a solid ceiling. Zidane, smiling at Sora's puzzlement, slid a hand over to the wall and found a hidden catch that opened a small keypad.

"Code, code…" Zidane muttered to himself before tapping a few numbers. "I'll never get used to all this," he added as the door clanked heavily and slowly yawned open.

Once through the door in the ceiling, Sora found another sign, this one proclaiming that briefing rooms one to five could be found to his left and lecture halls one to three were down to the right, along with the base commander's office and several other administration offices.

"We've got to go meet everyone in the first briefing room," Zidane said after wrestling the door shut. "They'll be three of them altogether - and one I know you've already met."

Hoping it was Terra, Sora hurried behind Zidane who walked down the wooden hallway quickly, his boots thumping rhythmically, his tail swishing jovially behind him. He pushed open a door and greeted the people inside before stepping in and motioning for Sora to follow.

Entering the room, Sora was struck by how much it resembled a schoolroom. Schooling wasn't exactly big on Destiny Islands, with most young people needing to fulfil more practical jobs like fishing rather than doctoring, but all had to have basic reading, writing and mathematical skills. This briefing room, with its desks lined up in neat rows and maps and other charts pinned all over the walls, was almost identical to Sora's schoolroom back home. A huge blackboard had been set up at the front with something that resembled a very large, very flat television screen next to it. Sora had never actually watched television but Donald and Goofy had explained it to him one slow night in Traverse Town.

Three people sat on separate desks near the front of the room, talking quietly. One, a man with spiky blond hair reminded Sora of Cloud for a moment but this person was several years older, stockier, had muddy brown eyes, dressed all in black and wielded what looked like a giant, wooden bat. To his left stood another man, this one well into his middle ages, his wizened eyes a cheerful blue and his smile barely visible behind a gigantic grey beard. His clothes seemed a little tatty - a green shirt under a beige vest with beige trousers - but Sora got the distinct feeling that this older man held some significant power. His gloved hand rested on the shoulder of the group's only pink haired woman.

"Reina! Good to see you out of that stuffy council for once. How's the dead ocean air feeling after so long cooped up in the Bastion?"

"Wonderfully refreshing, thank you," she replied with a lazy smile, not bothering to give in to Zidane's teasing. "The council decided it wanted me to check up on the base here and I was happy to oblige. It's good to see you too Sora."

Sora offered a nervous smile. If she found out about his little problem, and how could she not, the council would find out and they'd all be in serious trouble. His heart tightened tensely. This was not looking good.

"Sora meet Galuf," Zidane held out his hand to the older gentleman, "and Yukito…"

"Yuki will do just fine," the blond said with a smile.

"You've met his brother, Metsu too."

Sora blinked. They didn't look anything like brothers. Where Metsu was tall and slim, Yuki was short and a tad chubby. Yuki laughed, guessing Sora's thoughts. "I know, we're nothing alike but I assure you Metsu is my big brother."

"Well, if you're all ready I suggest we get moving," Galuf broke in. "I have no idea where this Keyhole thing could be - yes Zidane, Reina filled us all in while you were on the Highwind - but we should get moving before night rolls in."

"The Heartless attack more at night?" Reina asked.

"And it's getting worse with each passing night," Yuki replied. "Sora do you have any ideas where we'll find the Keyhole?"

Sora nodded confidently. Yes he knew where it had been before. Hopefully it would still be there.

"You seem awfully shy today Sora." Reina's comment caused Sora's heart to thud uneasily. "Is everything okay?"

His rapid nodding was accompanied with a smile. _Busted, busted, BUSTED!_

"Shall we get a move on then?" Zidane said, hurrying to the door and throwing it open perhaps a little too eagerly. "No time like the present right?"

Sora allowed Reina, Galuf and Yuki to leave first before throwing Zidane a "thanks!" look and hurrying out himself. Galuf already had the trapdoor open when Sora and Zidane caught up and it wasn't too much longer before the five of them were walking around the side of the building towards what appeared to be a large, red and white wooden stable. A sizeable fenced off area surrounded it, water troughs set out here and there. Strange warbling sounds were coming from within. The smell of herbs and hay assaulted his nose and Sora's curiosity was mounting yet again.

"What, you guys don't have buggies here?" Zidane asked, apparently knowing what was about to happen.

"We do," Galuf said as he lifted a metal catch and opened the paddock's gate. "But the landscape doesn't agree with them."

Looking at his feet, Sora saw feathers of yellow, green, blue, black and gold resting on the grass here and there. Big feathers…

"It's mighty good ta see ya'll!" Sora looked up and saw a very short, very stout man bustling out of the stable in clothes very similar to those worn by the people of Brighthelmston, a bright smile on his aged face. "Been too long!"

"It's good to see you Bill," Galuf said with a hearty laugh. "Are our faithful rides ready?"

"Absolutely! Had 'em ready since ya called in this mornin'. Only got yellow ones for ya though. Others are all booked out. Anyway, come in, come in!"

The group followed cheerful old Bill into the shaded stable and Sora, for the first time in his life, saw a real live Chocobo - five in fact - their yellow feathers and big blue eyes making them appear friendly and loving creatures. Each had a large, heavy looking pack on their back containing ropes for climbing, first aid kits and food and drink rations. Sora had only ever seen Chocobos in books before, and when he'd helped Kairi draw one in the Secret Place years ago. But to see a real one? That look of childlike joy was back on his face.

The others all mounted up easily while Sora walked over to the huge bird, a little uncertain as to how to climb up onto its back. The bird dipped her head and Sora stroked it gently, the Chocobo warbling merrily at his touch.

"That's Indy," Bill said from Sora's side. He was so short Sora actually had to look down to meet the man's eyes. "She's a real live wire but she'll know how ta handle a newbie like you kiddo." He pulled over a stepladder and Sora climbed up, easing himself onto Indy's back and carefully took the reins.

"We'll wait for you outside," Reina called as she and the others pulled out of the stable. "Bill will teach you the basics and when you're ready we'll leave."

Once the others were out of earshot, Bill looked Sora dead in the eye and spoke quietly. "Normally I'd teach you the calls ya gotta use to control a Chocobo but young Zidane tol' me ya lost ya voice. So instead you'll have ta just tug back gently on the reins to slow 'er down." He patted the bird's head. "Don't you worry at all Sora. Indy's a good'un and she'll take good care ya. Just lean your knees into 'er to get 'er movin."

Nodding, Sora did as he was taught and Indy trotted forward. The bird seemed to instinctively know how to react to her slightly unsure but very excited rider. She followed her companions and their riders out of the stable at a gentle speed, quick enough for Sora to feel like he was moving fast but ensuring he felt perfectly safe.

As they rode onwards, Sora realised he knew where they were. The bright blue sky may have replaced the deep blue sea but with a little imagination he could tell this was definitely the Undersea Valley…only sans the undersea part. Craning his neck a little, he did a little mental mapping and guessed that they were heading for the drop that had once had a golden trident pointing the way to Triton's Palace.

 _Do you think the palace is still there? If it is it'll be crumbling in the air, sorry that the water and its inhabitants fell to the Heartless so many years ago._

Urging Indy to greater speeds, the Chocobo caught up with her friends soon enough and before long Sora was standing on his own two feet with the supply pack held in his left hand (in case the Keyblade was suddenly needed), looking down a deep, dark hole. The others all stood away a little, tying up their ropes ready for descent. If he strained his ears, he could hear the wind growling through the caves down below. There was another sound, something Sora couldn't make out. He eased closer to the edge and bent over a little to listen.

Was that a voice?

A soft plink, like water onto ice,broke through the wind and a second before it happened, Sora knew he was going to fall. The rocks beneath him suddenly crumbled and, losing his balance, he pitched forwards into the darkness, mouth open in a soundless cry.


	11. Chapter 11

All The Roads We Have To Walk: Chapter Eleven

 _Angry._

"Sora!"

 _It's frustrating isn't it?_

He was so angry.

"Sora can you hear me?"

 _Being able to hear voices calling out to you but having no way to respond._

Angry at the present.

"We'll be down as soon as we can!"

 _You could wait…_

Angry at his recent life.

"Yuki and Galuf have gone for help! It won't be long!"

… _But you have a job to do._

Angry at everything.

Sora had fallen down the hole and hit the dirt shortly afterwards, only to roll onwards without being able to stop until he smacked into a wall. Stunned, with the wind knocked out of him, he lay there in the pitch-black cave for a few moments until his chest loosened up and his lungs could work more , he had groped for his pack and found it above his head.

That was when the anger began to unfurl within him.

Zidane's voice had come from a considerable distance; the echo quiet by the time Sora's ears could make out the hollered words. If he looked up in the direction his companion's voices were coming from, he could see a brief patch of light that didn't spill far beyond the hole's brink. He tried to climb back up to it but the rocks below his feet were too smooth and gave no grip so he sank unceremoniously back to his backside with every attempt.

The anger spiked. Why was it him at the bottom of this hole? Why was it him who couldn't yell for help? Why was it him who was on this stupid world with its stupid troubles and its stupid people?

He punched the rock until his knuckles bled. Why was it always him?

"Sora…"

Attempts to crawl back up the cave's high opening were forgotten; the fierce anger doused in a frigid gush. A gently breeze tugged playfully at his clothes. Water…was it water? Water dripped somewhere, tinkling into a large pool.

"Sora…we're waiting."

Sora didn't even hesitate as he shouldered his pack and summoned the Keyblade, the weapon glimmering in its own inner light but doing little to light up the area previously known as the Calm Depths. He opened his eyes wider as if doing so would enable him to see more…see anything. But, of course, it didn't. His ears, however, they were working perfectly fine.

"Will you make us wait forever?"

Shaking off the last vestiges of his uncharacteristic rage, Sora walked onwards slowly, empty hand held out to feel his way. Mute and practically blind, he almost wished for deafness as voices continued to call on the wind.

Zidane and Reina's voices grew fainter until, when Sora stepped out into a fierce current, they and every other sound became inaudible. Screeching wind had replaced water and Sora stumbled forwards, the gusts pushing him where they willed. When he heard the unmistakable pitter-patter of footsteps behind him, he stopped and tried to turn. He didn't stand a chance and the wind seemed to almost wrap itself around him, shoving him onwards. Feet spurred to run, Sora stumbled on and fell flat to his face when he shot out the wind tunnel and promptly tripped over an errant chunk of blue rock.

More light shone in this place because high above, far higher than Sora remembered, was an opening that led back to the Undersea…well…Previously Undersea Valley. But he had no way to reach it.

A shadow moved over his eyes. Startled, he stood and tried to see where it came from. The wind was still gusting from behind, tangling around his legs and playing roughly with his hair but it carried no solid objects.

"Somebody please…please help me!"

Fast shadows blotted out the light for a brief heartbeat but their source remained elusive. Sora kept telling himself it was the Heartless, just the Heartless, but didn't they bring back dead memories, memories of pain, fear and suffering?

When he felt something brush past him, he knew it had been a hand that hand that briefly touched his own, a shoulder that knocked against his own. He gasped as a giggle danced through his ears, the breath tickling him.

"Will you play with me?"

It was the Heartless, just the Heartless, Sora chanted in his mind as he edged forwards, the darkness growing deep once more as he passed through the light, some of his fear tempered by the warm glow.

 _Strange, don't you think, how light is always associated with comfort…_

The shadows jerked a shifted. Sora saw something scuttle away, but maybe he didn't, maybe it was his imagination. He was certain he could hear voices, too muffled for the words to make sense, but maybe he didn't, maybe it was just the wind. He tried not to panic…but maybe a little anxiety wasn't too bad.

… _And darkness with fear…_

Cold. He was cold and he wrapped his arms around him, feeling goose bumps rising up on his skin.

 _Have you ever considered what it would be like…_

When the breeze from behind died suddenly, silence unlike anything Sora had known before swallowed everything. His own breathing became faint despite how heavily he was drawing each breath in. The darkness seemed so complete ahead of him, despite the light that shone on in his wake. He sneaked forward, his arm slapped the air until it landed heavily on something cold and oddly pliable.

… _to switch your perspective?_

His heart began to beat a hundred times a minute, his entire body grew rigid, his breathing snapped to sharp and rapid. A Heartless! He'd touched a Heartless, just a Heartless! Just a Heartless!

He swung the Keyblade, it's light glinting off the Heartless' body as he slashed it apart. It's body seemed to capture the light within itself and Sora realised, as it crashed and fell into the blue stone, that it was in the form of a mermaid.

 _You killed Jasmine…maybe you'll add Ariel to that list too._

Sora stumbled backwards, shaking his head vehemently at his inner voice. No, that wouldn't happen! No…His back hit mist and he tripped forwards before they, the Heartless, attacked from behind, from ahead, from the sides…from anywhere. Their numb bodies pressed against him, stealing the air he gasped into his lungs. The Keyblade spun and danced with each powerful blow but the Heartless didn't stop. They didn't let up. They didn't diminish. They kept coming and coming, crowding in and in until Sora felt he might as well be underwater for all the difference it would make.

His eyes roamed while the Keyblade continued, almost as if it guided itself, to cut a way through the cloud of never diminishing Heartless. Their flailing hands were like shards of ice that dipped in and out of his body. Sora could feel the beginnings of what would rapidly become an overpowering drowsiness but he refused to give in. When he finally found a patch of light in the cunning shadows, he unleashed Ars Arcanum, dispatching of Heartless left, right, in front and behind in a deadly series of blows that soon cleared his entangled path. His movement grew less constrained as the Heartless finally fell away in the face of Sora's powerful, fear driven attack.

"Run away…"

"…away…"

"…before…"

"Before you are no more."

He pushed through the Heartless, finally decimating each ghostly citizen of Atlantica. He finally came to a breathless finish bathed in light that filtered down through a huge opening in the rock. Sora knew where he was, knew how close he was to the valley that led to Ariel's Grotto and the Keyhole and knew that he would have to climb this rock to get there.

The air grew thick with shadows, shadows that held watchful eyes. Again, Sora heard water dripping softly in the distance. A voice, young and girlish, tinkled with echoing laughter. Emptiness encased him, ice bathed him and as he looked up at his only escape, Sora had never felt so alone.

He stepped up to the wall, wondering how exactly to scale it. Remembering the pack suddenly, he tossed it to the ground and rooted through it and came out triumphantly with a grappling rope.

Looping the rope around his arm and swinging the hook, he let it fly up into the air. It clanged against rocks and he tugged hard. The hook fell back down, and Sora barely avoided being smacked in the head. He tried again, several times in fact, but to no avail. Frustration raged in the pit of his stomach, tendrils leaking into his chest and fists. He wanted to scream but voiceless as he was, he gave in to the next best thing - kicking the nearest stone until he felt slightly better.

It appeared he would have to climb it with just his bare hands and no support. There was nothing else in the pack that could help. He took a swig of from the water bottle he found and then packed the rope back up with it, a first aid kit and some emergency rations. Strapping the rucksack tightly to his back, he grabbed the rock and slowly, slowly began inching his way up.

It was painfully hard, his fingers acquiring scratches with each new handhold and his knees gaining webs of little trickling cuts every time his feet slipped. But with each fresh scrape of pain, a little more of the frustration unwound itself from his heart. He had a job that only he could do and yes, it had brought him as much pain as it had joy but there was no one else who could deal with the Heartless quite like he could. And yes, he was a long way from home with people he barely knew but without the Keyblade or the Heartless he never would have seen so many new places or made so many new friends.

Blood dripped from his hand and spattered the rocks, water chiming in the distance. Sora paused his climb and looked down. He wasn't quite sure if what he saw was real. But how could it not be? The same thing had happened back at Hollow Bastion. The shadows had swarmed behind him, hiding the place he had just stood in. He clung to the rocks a little tighter, afraid that he would tumble into that abyss.

Sweat trickling down his face and neck, he renewed his efforts to reach the cliff's top. Breathlessly, with tiny stones embedded in his fingers and blood trickling from countless scrapes, Sora levered himself out of the hole and onto flat rock. The sunlight, bathed in an unusual chill, still managed to cast a warm comfort over him as he struggled to regain his breath.

"We're waiting."

Hauling himself to his feet, Sora looked around. The hole he had climbed out of had led to the final valley where Ariel's Grotto resided. Before it had been a simple swim. Now…Sora's hands balled into fists…he had to climb down another cliff and make a run for it. Down below on the dry seabed, clumps of Heartless swam in the air, their bodies shaped like the merfolk. Peering over the cliff's edge, Sora noted the large group of Heartless lingering at the foot of the rock-face. A few extended Strike Raids later and Sora was climbing down to the relative safety as fast as he could. When he felt he was close enough to the ground, he jumped and landed neatly on the dusty rock.

Water flowed past his feet. Confused, he looked down but saw only dry ground. It had to be another effect of the Heartless. Everything was because of the Heartless.

Keyblade summoned once more, Sora began jogging towards Ariel's Grotto. His breath was visible in the air but he didn't feel particularly cold. Out the corners of his eyes he could see Heartless swimming in the air but he avoided them rather than took them on. Sure he could fight but he knew when the chances were he'd wind up dead rather than victorious.

In his wake a child giggled. Turning back sharply, Sora watched two little mermaids chasing each other gleefully. He backed up, watching the sight with a sad smile. They were so happy yet both were probably dead. But their happiness reminded him of simpler times when his days were filled with play fighting on the beach and drawing on the walls of the Secret Place.

 _Sweet nostalgia. But do you really have time to waste on a past you can no longer grasp?_

Sighing, disgusted with himself for listening to that voice that came from somewhere beyond the confines of his skull, Sora turned and ran the rest of the way to the grotto. He kept his eyes down for his ears were doing a fine job picking up the sounds of dead laughter and horrified screams. Joy mingled with pain…it was so twisted. Behind him children laughed and played. Ahead of him they were being slain by the Heartless, their innocent eyes freezing over.

This was a past he had no part in but could grasp as if it were his own. Ignoring the world around him, Sora's attention focused entirely on reaching Ariel's Grotto and once he was there, he focused entirely on shifting the great big stone that covered the entrance. It took plenty of elbow grease but at least shifting the stone provided another form of anger venting. Grinning and brushing his dusty hands down the front of his shirt, Sora stepped into Ariel's Grotto. Soon there would be another sealed Keyhole and they could get off this rock and he could find a way to talk again - because holding conversations with nods, shakes and eyebrow manoeuvres had ceased to be amusing.

Okay, fine, it had never been amusing.

Sora stepped into the grotto. It was full of light that shone through the gap at the cave's very top. Ariel's trinkets were still there but most were broken from age and disuse. Dust filmed over everything and Sora struggled to hold back the sudden forlornness that attacked his heart.

Keyblade held tightly in his hand, he looked for the trident mark that denoted the position of the Keyhole.

Fruitless minutes ticked away.

 _Oh dear._

The frustration began anew.

 _Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear._

Vines of anger weaved around his heart, bled into his muscles.

 _Well that wasn't part of the master plan now was it?_

"Shut up," he wanted to yell. "Shut up!" But his silence served only to hasten the hopeless frustration that screamed within him.

 _You want to know why it's always you?_

Sora slumped to the ground, one fist aimlessly punching the ground, the other clutching the clothes over his chest. Tears were threatening and he didn't know if he could stop them…no, he didn't know if he wanted to stop them.

 _But you do know why, don't you Sora?_

Why, why had he wanted to leave his own world?


	12. Chapter 12

All The Roads We Have To Walk: Chapter Twelve

"Are we nearly there yet?"

"You sound just like him."

"Uh…"

"All he ever used to ask was 'are we there yet', even when he knew the answer."

"Aw, but all kids do that."

"Exactly."

Goofy paused and looked sadly out at the Gummi-strewn space all around them. "I bet you wouldn't complain much if he appeared right now and said it," he mumbled.

Donald was silent for a moment. Then he sighed and gruffly answered. "I sure wouldn't." He cleared his throat. "It'll be about an hour 'til we're there."

"Okay." Silence reigned again, but only for a short while. "We'll find him, y'know that right?"

"I know."

"Or he'll find us."

"Yup."

Silence.

"We'll be there soon and then we can figure something out."

"Uh huh."

"Won't be long now."

Silence fell again, and this time neither Donald nor Goofy attempted to lift it.

Zidane held out his hand. "You alright?"

A smaller, paler hand reached out and took it. "Yeah, I'm fine." Wincing, Reina rubbed her dusty backside. "That didn't quite go to plan," she said, looking back up the rock face she and Zidane had half-climbed, half-fallen down.

"When does anything in our lives go according to plan?" Zidane muttered. "It's so dark down here…"

"Hold on." Reina reached into her back and pulled out a small, unlit oil lamp and a box of matches. A quick strike later and light shone out, forcing the shadows back. "Come on, we'd better search for him."

"He must've fallen further than we did," Zidane commented. "The surface here is pretty slippery and steep. We'll have to be very careful." He looked at her, an innocent smile on his face. "If you need me to carry you, let me know."

Reina merely rolled her eyes and slipped past him, gingerly stepping down the rocks while holding the light out in front.

"We should've just waited for Yuki and Galuf to return with some green or golden Chocobos," Reina admonished half way down.

"Ah but where's the fun in that?" Zidane retorted. "It's about time you saw some action. Besides, Sora might need us."

When they reached the bottom of the slope, they soon discovered that Sora was nowhere to be seen. "Do you think he's on the move?" Reina asked.

Zidane nodded. "He's a determined kid who knows what he's gotta do. He's probably found that Keyhole already and is on his way back to find us."

Reina smiled. "You have a lot of faith in him, considering how little you know about him."

"He's a good kid," Zidane said simply.

"You don't think he's just acting?"

"No way! If he were, he wouldn't have put himself through so much hardship. He's a good person Reina."

She smiled at him, the flicker light sending odd shadows over her pretty face, her pink hair looking almost dark red. "I know you're right." She sighed heavily. "I just wish certain members of the Council weren't so convinced that he's a harbinger of doom."

Zidane laughed out loud. "Sora? Sora bringing doom? Your Council thinks that? Jeez, one look at him and you can tell he wouldn't hurt a fly…unless it was a Heartless fly which is precisely what he's meant to hurt."

"Zidane it's no joking matter! I know Sora's doing an important job and I want him to keep at it. But there are people back at Hollow Bastion who'd rather…" She pinched the bridge of her nose. "I shouldn't be telling you this."

"Hey don't half say something and then go back on yourself. Spit it out."

Reina shook her head. "Look, all you need to know is there's a lot of pressure on us to sort out this Heartless problem and just when things were going extremely bad, a boy with a weapon that's practically mythical appears. People are…suspicious…that this is all some kind of ruse."

"You need to tell them," Zidane said, sounding uncharacteristically angry as he walked on without looking back at Reina or waiting for her to bring the light, "that they are wrong. Dead wrong." He looked back at her. "Give me the light. You go back and call to Galuf and Yuki when they return." He took the proffered light. "I'll go as far as I can and try to find Sora."

Silence fell with the shadows that coated Reina's slippery climb back.

 _Now, I've been having this one thought going round and around in my head._

It had taken some self-convincing but Sora had finally forced himself back to his feet and out of the cave.

 _And you know what, I bet you've been thinking it too._

He now stood outside the grotto, looking up at the short tunnel that led to the final run before Triton's Palace. Heaviness lingered in his heart but he knew, he just knew, that the Keyhole was now in the palace. Smiling ruefully at his already bloody hands, Sora planted them on the rock-face and once again began a long climb.

 _See I can't help but wonder how things might be really different if…_

Sora didn't want to hear this but plugging his ears with his hands would be both stupid and futile. So with renewed determination he attacked the cliff, climbing as fast as he could.

… _you had grabbed his hand._

His left hand slipped painfully while solid guilt plunged into his stomach. Ignoring everything as best he could, he swung his gashed left hand back up to the rock and resumed climbing, pretending his sudden nausea wasn't really there at all.

 _I wonder if you'd be here._

It was slow going at first, the cliff proving to be a lot smoother than his previous climb. But he kept going and refused to fall. His determination added to his speed and before long he was over halfway there.

 _Maybe he'd be here with you to help._

Those frustrated tears were making their way back to his already watery blue eyes and he bit his lip hard to stop them from falling. No more crying. No more yells that, no matter how hard he tried, yielded no sound. He just had to get the Keyhole sealed and get off this world pretty much an instant after his first job was complete.

 _Or maybe…_

Sora's feet scrabbled for purchase but there were no tiny ledges to be found. He found himself hanging by his hands. The tunnel's opening was just above but still too far for him to reach.

… _He'd be here…_

Sora had only one chance and even then he didn't know if this particular plan of his was going to work out. Taking a deep breath, Sora's right hand let go of the rock, leaving his left arm to take all his weight.

… _and you'd be there._

Summoning his weapon, Sora put all the strength he could muster into a Strike Raid, which, without letting go of the Keyblade, he drove into the rock above his head. The Keyblade dug deep into the rock and his weight was again balanced between both arms. He tugged on the Keyblade once, twice, and it held.

 _So did you ever wonder about that too?_

Sora's next move would have to be fast and accurate. If it wasn't…well chances were he wouldn't be conscious for a while to regret his choice of action. He paused for a brief moment to gather his energy and focus his attention. Shutting out everything around him, he moved. His left hand joined his right on the Keyblade's shaft. The weapon sank a little but didn't fall from the rock. Swinging his legs, he gained enough momentum to swing himself above the Keyblade. Flipping from a handstand to balancing on both his feet, he felt the Keyblade loosen more as he stood upon it. Quickly he leapt upwards and landed neatly on the ledge that led to Triton's Palace. Pausing for a bare second, Sora lay flat on the rock, grabbed the Keyblade with both his hands and yanked it free. He allowed himself a slight grin of triumph before reminding himself this was no time to gloat. Keyblade held tight, he ran down the short tunnel and emerged on the other side to face desolation.

The palace was just up ahead but its grandeur hadn't merely faded, it had been practically obliterated. The air was full of quiet screams and clashing weapons that were nowhere to be seen in the present. Apparitions drifted out of the ground, attacking one another as they re-lived their decade-old battle. As Sora walked to the edge of the cliff he would soon have to descend, he began to realise the extent of this old fight. The people of Atlantica had died everywhere, not understanding how or why so many familiar faces were plunging their hands into the hearts of all and stealing the life that had resided there.

This had been the stage for Atlantica's final battle…and where it's demise had been sealed.

Fate finally seemed to smile upon Sora and provided him with lots of well-sized ledges to jump down on, making his descent quick and easy. The air grew increasingly cold thanks to the presence of so many Heartless. Sora shook his head. It was still taking a conscious effort on his part to call these odd beings Heartless rather than ghosts.

Bizarre as they were, this new breed of Heartless were as deadly as the last and Sora was instantly attacking once his feet hit the main pathway that led to the palace's throne room. He shot forward, taking out the first pair of Heartless in his path with a cross slash and moving on before they even sank into nothingness. He kept moving; leaping high over a crumbled rock pillar with a deadly uppercut that dispatched of another Heartless and following that up with a Sonic Blade that wiped out several Heartless and threw several more out of Sora's path. Twisting, Sora swung the Keyblade in an arch and caught one pale Heartless in the side, who Sora smashed into two other Heartless who were swimming through the air toward him from the left. It was weird to see the semi-dead citizens of Atlantica swimming through water that had dried up a long time ago. None of the Heartless on Atlantica had walked toward him…which made him question the footsteps he thought he'd heard back in the tunnels of the Calm Depths.

A clearing had presented itself and Sora bolted, leaping over large piles of rock and holes in the path as they came. A light rain began to fall, it's faint drops turning the rocks a deep blue. The soft downpour fell onto the Heartless, sinking into their bodies only to pass right through and splash onto the dusty ground. Sora couldn't help but puzzle over why the Keyblade and other weapons could attack these creatures and yet most other objects - including his own body - could pass right through them.

Yet another question to be listed under: ask when voice is back.

His thinking time was cut drastically short as he skidded to a stop outside what had once been the entrance to the palace. Blocked off by more rubble than Sora thought possible, he scratched his head and pondered how exactly he was going to get by. Climbing turned out to be the only option and Sora was soon scaling the wreckage, leaving the Heartless behind to continue their conjured battle memories. The rain continued it's whispered pour, slowly becoming heavier but never louder. It was almost peaceful, Sora thought with a smile as he easily climbed the rubble. Now that he was near the summit, he could see an opening. The Keyhole was inside the palace. The final battle may have been fought and lost behind him, but Atlantica hadn't fallen until its ruler had been conquered. Keyholes resided in places of some importance and nothing in Sora's mind stood out more than the throne room of the palace.

"He's coming!"

"We've been waiting."

"Finally."

"Yes, finally."

Once Sora reached the top, he found that the gap between the rubble and what remained of the throne room's roof was very narrow. Laying himself flat, he squeezed through, tearing holes in his clothes and gashes on his torso as he did so. It was a tight fit and he had to crawl for several metres, the palace was in far worse a condition than he had expected. Unfortunately, his rubble pathway wasn't particularly sturdy towards the end and rather than another easy climb down, Sora found the ground sliding away beneath him and he tumbled, head over heels, to the throne room's thankfully solid ground. Wincing and rubbing his backside, Sora climbed to his feet and looked around, eyes wide with shock as he surveyed the room.

Triton's once regal throne was now covered in debris and dirt. Time itself had been the true destroyer, making good use of the damage caused by the Heartless. The giant shell that had rested at the bottom of the throne had been crushed, jagged fragments thrust into the walls and littering the ground. Thankfully light was provided via a new skylight in the ceiling, the rubble from that sprayed everywhere. Rain washed down, bringing blue dusty mud with it to coat the ruined throne that sadly stood beneath the skylight. The water dripped and pooled, it's pathetically meagre amount doing little to reclaim what had rightfully once belonged deep in its grasp.

Again Sora was rushed to stop his thinking as a huge shadow eased over the skylight, creating night for a single too long minute before releasing the light once more. Something was up there. Something was up there and it fully intended to come for him.

A bright, luminous blue light flared from the broken down throne. The light burst into tiny globes that fell with the rain and Sora couldn't stop the gigantic smile that lit up his dirty face as his eyes reflected what they held: the Keyhole.

The Keyblade returned to his hand just in time for the shadow to leap through the skylight. Human in shape, it landed on its knees.

A dual toned female voice spoke. "We've been waiting for you."

The black figure split into two and both stood up. Sora realised they were draped in black robes that hid them from head to toe. Identical in height, the two moved as if they were one, turning to face Sora.

"It's been…"

"…a long time."

Both reached up and pulled their hoods down. Sora backed up two steps in horror before he even realised he was moving.

"Won't you play with us?" they asked, feigning innocence.

The Princesses of Heart Cinderella and Aurora smiled identical, sly smirks.

"Jasmine failed."

"We won't."

The leapt forward as one, both kicking out with their right legs. Sora dive-rolled forwards, coming to his feet in front of the Keyhole and turning to face them just as they landed. He couldn't afford to give into his shock as they sprung at him again, their skin shimmering darkly, blurring at the edges just like Jasmine had.

They were Heartless too and both reached under their dark cloaks and pulled out identical ruby and silver daggers.

"We won't fail."

Sora held the Keyblade tight, faced again with the fact that he had no choice but to hurt two people he had fought to save once before. He'd even indirectly sacrificed himself for their sake. But what did that matter now? Now they were Heartless and now they were attacking him.

 _So now they have to die._

He blocked their daggers, catching the blades like he had caught Ri…Ansem's Keyblade all that time ago. Throwing them off, he fell into an attacking stance and wasted no time standing still.

 _And don't pretend that's not the truth._

He went for Aurora first, kicking the dagger out of her hand while slamming the Keyblade into her arm. She cried out and fell back onto the rubble but Cinderella was there, eyes flashing dangerously.

"We won't fail," she hissed, sweeping up Aurora's dagger.

Aurora was suddenly behind him, holding him in place by pulling his arms behind his back. Two daggers were suddenly crashing down towards his heart but Sora refused to go so easily. Swinging his legs up, Aurora was forced to hold his entire body weight as his feet caught both Cinderella's wrists, driving her arms away from him. Aurora released him, unable to maintain her grip for which Sora was eternally grateful as he'd nearly yanked his arms out their sockets with that move. Cinderella was still stumbling backwards. Sora was on her in an instant after shoving Aurora to the ground, dismissing the Keyblade and grabbing the daggers, pulling them out of her grasp and jabbing them deep into her shoulders. Ripping them haphazardly free, blood trailing in the air and spattering across his hands, Sora tossed them aside and called the Keyblade back. For good measure he put his weight behind a blow to Cinderella's neck and she collapsed to the ground. Some tiny part of him was crying out at his actions but his heart had distanced and barricaded itself from guilt…for the moment at least.

Screaming in unleashed fury, Aurora's hand grabbed a large fragment of what had once been a shell and she flew at Sora, her once beautiful face ruined with inhuman rage.

"We won't fail!"

Sora was ready for her, recognising that her anger had made her sloppy. She barrelled into him and he let her push him to the rain drenched ground where she sat on his chest, her weight light but enough to cause damage if she moved right. That was when he realised he'd underestimated her. Seriously underestimated her.

Her rage flicked off and an easy smile slipped onto her face. Holding the shell fragment, she dragged it across his already scratched cheeks, leaving a fresh trickle of blood in its sharp wake. Her other hand, as cold as any Heartless, stroked his hair, lightly trailed down his hot, blushing face and onto his chest. Dropping her crude weapon, she leaned toward him, her weaponless hand brushing against his lips.

"Be a good boy and do your job," she whispered into his ear, her breath sending pleasant, but very wrong, tingles down his spine. "You pass this test but there will be many more."

Her icy, dead lips replaced her wandering fingers. Sora would've cried out but he couldn't. He didn't want this. No! Her hands were reaching for places they shouldn't go and his entire body trembled with revulsion. No! He tried to push her off but like Jasmine she possessed strength her slim body seemed to have no place for.

He kicked at her but she simply pulled back and laughed. "Well, perhaps another time." She stood up and brushed herself down. Her eyes glanced over at Cinderella. "She did her part, just as you're doing yours." She held out a hand and the two daggers shot across from their resting place. She looked back down at him. "We'll play again soon."

With that she shot upwards, becoming a shadow that washed over him before fading completely. Sora turned his head to the side and watched as Cinderella faded from view, a ghostly heart floating away from her. It was with a sick stomach and an unsteady pair of legs that Sora stood with, the rain cascading over him as its fall grew suddenly heavy. The Keyblade glimmered and he raised it with both his shaking arms. Golden light shot into the deep blue Keyhole and a resounding thud hailed the locking of another Keyhole. Sora waited for a moment in case a box plopped out like before but this time nothing happened.

Sora's first thought, as he automatically dismissed the Keyblade, was to sit back down and try to sort through the thoughts screaming in his mind.

Water began to gush.

Looking up, he expected to see a small, rain-induced waterfall tumbling from the skylight. Instead his eyes met with something a lot lower. Where the Keyhole had just been, water was now flooding freely like an over-keen tap. Cursing in his mind, Sora turned and began scrambling up the rock as the throne room began to fill with water. Almost drowning once in the recent past was enough to convince him he needed to move fast and not stop to look back. He crawled through the narrow gap in record time and with a record amount of unnoticed scratches but he didn't stop. Running as fast as he could down the uneven mound of rubble, he was stunned to see water already trickling over his ankles from behind. Half blinded by the almighty rainstorm that had replaced the soft drizzle, Sora ran on. He stumbled over chunks of rock and his feet skidded on the slippery mud. The water was now roaring behind him, slapping his back with waves that were growing larger with each passing moment.

Once back at the cliff that led to the tunnel out of this rapidly flooding place, Sora launched himself up the ledges, leaping and climbing with skill born more of desperation than experience. Legs aching, lungs heaving, he scaled the rock-face almost as fast as he'd descended it. He dared a backward glance and saw the crystal waters approaching him with impossible, unimaginable speed. He ran into the dark tunnel, feet splashing into rain made puddles. He looked back again and saw that the water was already on the tunnel's level.

"Watch out!"

Sora turned his head in time to see a pair of wide blue eyes locked onto his. Unable to stop his momentum, Sora crashed into whoever it was and both tumbled off the cliff. They crashed into the ground and it was only then, when Sora lifted his winded body up, that he recognised Zidane, who was now unconscious and bleeding from somewhere at the back of his head. His ears told him the water was already crashing down from above. Grabbing Zidane, he rolled the senseless blond up and lifted him onto his back. Sora ran from the water but knew they were in trouble because with Zidane on his back there was no way he could climb the cliff.

Looking back once again, the water was creeping toward him, covering the distance within seconds. Sora hitched Zidane higher, the slightly taller young man draped uncomfortably over Sora's shoulders but safer for a little while from the water that was pooling around Sora's ankles. He backed away from the cliff-face and looked up. An idea sparkled in his mind. He wasn't sure if it was a good one but considering it was the only one that offered a chance of saving both him and Zidane from drowning, he grasped it.

He shifted Zidane off his back and held him up from behind, grasping him under his arms. Zidane showed no sign of stirring as he leaned against Sora, the water creeping over his tail and over Sora's waist. It didn't take long for the water to reach their chests and then their heads. It took a terrifyingly short amount of time for them both to be submerged and Sora was quick to swim to the surface, Zidane held tightly in his arms. He found he had to keep his legs kicking to keep up with the water. It was tiring, especially with a dead weight in his arms, but he refused to give in.

Once they neared the next tunnel opening, Sora shifted Zidane again so he was ready to heave him onto the ledge. And heave he did, with surprising ease. And then he found himself being lifted up by the arms.

"We gotcha kid." Sora looked up and saw it was Galuf who pulled him out the water. "You okay?"

Nodding breathlessly, Sora found his eyes travelling backwards again. He blinked in surprise to see that the water had stopped rising and now lapped peacefully at the ledge he and the others stood upon. Looking forward again, he saw Yuki carrying Zidane. Galuf meanwhile bent down and scooped up a glowing oil lamp. "Come on, let's get back to base."

Dumbly, Sora followed. He looked down the vertical drop he had earlier climbed and saw that not only had a ladder been put up against it but three bright green Chocobos stood waiting at the bottom with a grim-faced Reina as well. Galuf helped Yuki manoeuvre Zidane safely onto his back before he descended the ladder.

Galuf gave Sora an understanding smile. "I bet you can't wait to get the hell out of here."

 _Oh, he has no idea._


	13. Chapter 13

All The Roads We Have To Walk: Chapter Thirteen

"The water appears to have levelled off. It's not rising anymore but considering the distance it covered in so short a time I recommend we keep a very close eye on things."

Sora looked up at Yuki from where he sat in the briefing room. Metsu's brother was standing in front of the television, poking every so often at a detailed map that was shown on the screen. Yuki had revealed that he and Galuf had seen Sora and Zidane's graceless plummet and the water that rushed after them. Yuki, who seemed to know Atlantica like the back of his hand, had already assumed that the water had filled both the area preceding Triton's Palace and the area which was now rightfully called the Undersea Gorge. Sora had nodded confirmation and Yuki seemed extremely pleased.

"Assuming Sora sealed the Keyhole…" Another nod from Sora widened Yuki's happy smile. "Great! Well then, seeing as Sora sealed the Keyhole and from what we can tell the Heartless have pretty much faded from this world, I consider this to be the best proof of just how beneficial the sealing of Keyholes is."

"I concur," Galuf said with a nod. "The only Heartless remaining are few and far between and the outer defences have pretty much taken care of them. We'll send teams out tomorrow to flush out any hiding in the caves." He winked at Sora and patted him almost fatherly on the back. "Great job kid."

Sora offered a shy smile in response.

"And don't worry about Zidane," Yuki said, walking away from the map display glowing on the television screen. "He's a tough guy and he'll be awake and flirting with the nurses soon enough. Heh, he's probably already annoying the hell out of Reina and Tifa."

Sora's smile didn't lose any of its shyness but he added a nod to show he shared Yuki's sentiments…except…no, including the flirting part.

"Well," Yuki clapped his hands together. "I'm going to get something to eat. See you two later."

Yuki left and Sora stood up to follow, intending to go down to the sickbay.

"Sora, can I have a word?"

Paralysis flooded through Sora and like a frozen river he remained rooted to the spot. He managed to turn himself around stiffly and face Galuf, who was looking at him with a very serious look in his usually cheerful eyes.

Galuf's fatherly hand was on Sora's shoulder and the older man crouched slightly so he was more on Sora's eye level. "I know you're not shy." Sora swallowed painfully but didn't look away. "I also know you can't tell me what caused this. But hiding it isn't going to work for much longer." He smiled at Sora's obvious anxiety. His hand patted reassuringly once again. "It's alright. I know the Council back at Hollow Bastion have their strange and secret agendas but I think you'll be able to reveal this little hard-to-conceal secret and still be allowed to continue your work. Yuki and I will support you. We might not have seen what exactly you did and the water might be returning to Atlantica but the numbers of Heartless have significantly dropped and that can only be a good thing. The Council would be foolish to ignore such evidence."

Managing to hide his slight disbelief behind a fairly cheerful smile, Sora tugged on Galuf's sleeve and pointed towards the door.

"You hungry too?"

He shook his head no.

"Oh, of course. Zidane."

Galuf received a nod and a grin for his correct guess. "I'll take you down to the infirmary then."

Sora's stop in the infirmary was brief. In fact it probably couldn't have been shorter. He stepped in, saw Zidane still out cold on a bed before Tifa grabbed him, led him back out and quickly informed him that they were leaving immediately for Hollow Bastion. Reina had been dispatched to grab Yuki while Galuf had lifted Zidane from the bed and followed Tifa from the room.

"We'll stop over at Hollow Bastion for a few days before moving out again," Tifa explained. "We need to drop Relm off there anyway. She's already onboard the Highwind. Poor kid has got the nastiest broken leg I've ever seen." She leaned a littler closer. "We'll visit Red and Yuna as soon as we can and see if they've come up with a solution to our little problem."

The walk and subsequent lift ride to the Highwind passed in a blur and before long Tifa and her crew had the ship underway. On route to Hollow Bastion Reina announced that Sora would be accompanying her to the Council Chambers and give as detailed a report as he could manage on his mission thus far. Well, that was great. He had nothing but good…okay well he had some good and some bad news to tell…only he was completely unable to tell it. So far he was still the only one who knew that Jasmine apparently hadn't been working alone. Galuf was right and, after having a hushed conversation with Tifa, she nodded to Sora and together they went down the lift and along to Reina's small but en-suite room.

"Council members tend to have a few worthwhile perks," she explained, winking as she knocked on the door. "And yes, my room is perfectly comfortable."

Reina opened the door, a steaming mug in one hand and her hair wet from a recent shower. "Hello. What's up?"

Tifa and Sora shared a vaguely nervous but determined look. "There's something we…er…I need to tell you," Tifa said, indicating that they should all take a seat in Reina's room.

"Has something happened?" Reina asked, suddenly sounding worried.

Tifa replied uncomfortably. "Sort of."

Reina led them to a small seating area. Her cabin appeared to have three areas - a seating/kitchen area, which had doors to a bedroom and a bathroom. Tifa was right; this room was far more comfortable than Sora's box-like cabin that barely had enough room for his bed.

Everyone sat down and before Reina could ask again what was wrong, Tifa blurted it out. "Sora can't report to the Council because he can't speak."

Sora's addition was a nervous grin.

Reina delicately placed her mug on the table that stood between where she sat and where Tifa and Sora fidgeted stiffly. Her deep slate eyes focused on Sora who instantly felt the tiny hairs on the back of his neck stand to attention. Her look was closed, all emotion locked away beneath the blank façade of her face. Sora's hands grew sweaty but he managed to resist the urge to clasp them together.

"How long has it been?" she asked quietly, her tone revealing nothing. Sora was unnerved by her ability to conceal emotion. She'd obviously been trained to the point that to hide what she truly felt was almost natural.

"Since Agrabah," Tifa supplied calmly.

"I assume you're not ill."

"He had a mild chest infection and a heavy cold but they've both pretty much gone now. We suspect it has something to do with the Heartless."

"Just how long did you intend to hide this?" Her eyes never left Sora and despite his squirming stomach he held her not-quite emotionless gaze steadily. Her eyes definitely held a flicker of something and Sora suspected it was anger.

"Until it was no longer an issue."

"Ah, of course." Reina's eyes slipped away from Sora's and inwardly he gave a relieved sigh. But the gaze focused on him instantly after she had paused to take a sip from her mug. "I can assume why you sought to hide this from the Council. I'm as aware of you that the Council leader, Tsuko, is highly suspicious of your motives. To be honest even I am not sure that your motives are entirely honest although I have no doubt in my mind Sora that you are a good person." Her eyes swivelled to Tifa. "And it doesn't matter how much you or Zidane or anyone else vouch for him, Tsuko will not be impressed with this situation and should he discover that you've been purposefully keeping secrets from him your Council seat will be in serious jeopardy."

Tifa visibly blanched and Sora was aware that there was something unsaid hovering between the two women. "You wouldn't," Tifa's voice held no fear, just controlled anger.

"You should know that I would not. Nevertheless the Council meeting will go ahead and Tsuko and the others will be made aware. The Council does not condone secrets being kept from it."

 _Shame it doesn't apply both ways…_

"And if Tsuko orders an end to Sora's mission?" Tifa asked. "You know exactly what's happening and how important his work is!"

Reina shook her head, sighing. "I can't cancel the Council session. If I do that Tsuko will get suspicious." She leaned closer, her voice growing quiet as if she feared eavesdropping. "We're both on the Council Tifa. We both know the power Tsuko wields. Yes we can easily outvote him but his popularity is paid for, not earned. At the next elections he could easily pay off enough people to ensure the Council is full of candidates who will never vote against him while we are booted out and forgotten."

"I think I see where you're going with this Reina."

"If we play the system right, side with him and carry out his orders as much as we can, we'll be safeguarding our own future on the Council and therefore the future of everyone we're fighting to save from the Heartless."

Sora wasn't sure if he should be overhearing talk like this. Maybe his silence brought with it a degree of invisibility. After all, it wasn't like he was capable of telling the secrets he overheard…or the secrets he was keeping locked away in side his mute self.

"I knew there was a reason I always sided against politicians," Tifa muttered.

"For now Tifa play the game. It might do you a favour."

Tifa rubbed a weary hand through her thick hair. "I suppose you have a point."

Sora sat silently, feeling a little lost amidst this talk of politics and Councils and strategies. He didn't exactly understand the full intricacies of what Reina and Tifa were discussing but generally he got the idea that the jig was up and soon he would be standing in front of the Council again and quite unable to explain any of his recent actions. It wasn't going to look good at all. He could see Tsuko locking him up already, not caring that Sora didn't want to be there as much as Tsuko wished he'd never met the Keybearer. Sora sighed; his thoughts turning melancholy as he worried about Donald and Goofy. What if they'd been sucked off that other world too and were lost somewhere in these bizarre versions of all the worlds they'd been to together? What if…Sora's heart was plunged into ice…oh, but what if they had already fallen victim to the new Heartless? He wouldn't be able to help if Tsuko got his way.

"Come on Sora. Let's leave Reina in peace."

Lifting himself off the chair and out of his musings, Sora offered Reina a dip of the head in thanks before following Tifa to the door.

"Don't worry too much," Reina called as he left. "Your secret is safe with me."

The door slid shut but Tifa waited until they were back in the elevator to pass any comments.

"Reina is actually a Queen on her world so she's pretty good when it comes to dealing with political opportunists like Tsuko. Of course, it also means she knows how to stay ahead of the game as you just saw." Tifa massaged her temples. "She's a good person, I know she won't turn against us and tell Tsuko we've been hiding something from him." She sounded more like she was trying to convince herself rather than reassure Sora. "I know it seems petty, that we didn't tell him about you losing your voice, but as far as Tsuko's concerned a little lie only leads to bigger lies."

 _And Tsuko would know best. You should really take a look around that basement in Hollow Bastion. Then you'd know just what kind of people you're currently involved with. You wouldn't be simply horrified. No, you'd be more…_

"Anyway, let's forget all this for now. Let's see if Zidane's awake. We might need to save a nurse or two…"She hit a button and the lift slid downwards.

Sora knew that even if he could talk about the voice in his head, that taunting tone that was vaguely informative and highly discomforting, he wouldn't tell another soul. If Tsuko was worried about him saying nothing at all, Sora didn't want to imagine the things that would happen if he revealed the words that he alone heard.

Even Kairi would probably think he'd gone nuts.

The lift came to a stop and Sora slipped into step behind Tifa as she led the way to the sickbay. She took his slower pace as concern and turned to him, ceasing her step. "Reina won't let us down, I'm sure of it. I know what she was talking about back then might've seemed kinda worrying but she's a friend and she understands the importance of what you're doing. She'll help you stay out of Tsuko's way." She smiled a beautiful smile that lit up her eyes and she took hold of his hands, giving them a squeeze. She didn't seem to notice the blush she brought to Sora's face. "Everything will work out fine."

Smiling and nodding, Sora carefully pulled his hands free, indicating he was ready to move on. He also wanted to rub the blush off his cheeks but he disguised that by pointing down the hall. Together they walked along the corridor and into the brightly lit, incredibly clean sickbay. Sora nose itched as it was assaulted by disinfectant and he made a whole range of odd faces as he tried to keep the sneezes away. He feared that if he made any sudden movements he'd be lost beneath a pile of doctors, nurses and scary looking equipment.

The sickbay wasn't huge. They stood in the main room that held a bed in the centre, a chair on the right wall, a huge yellow medicine cabinet on the left wall and at the far end stood a door marked "WARD".

A women dressed in a white dress came over to Tifa but Sora managed to get away and through the door just as the nurse began informing the ship's captain of the conditions of the ship's two casualties. There were four beds in the equally bright and smelly ward, two of which were occupied - one by the girl Relm who was currently sleeping and the other by Zidane who was still unconscious. Guilt was an emotion Sora was uncomfortably familiar with and it curled itself eagerly around his bruised heart and tugged at his stomach. Pulling a chair over, Sora sat next to Zidane's bed and watched the blond man's rest. Around his head was a thick bandage and Sora's face fell. Why hadn't he taken a little more time to watch where he was going? If he'd been more aware of his surroundings, Zidane would've been fine and nowhere near the bed he was now resting upon.

 _Maybe that arrogant King was right back then. You and the Key do bring pain and devastation._ The voice smirked as Sora buried his face in his hands. _Do I really need to list every individual and how you uniquely screwed their lives up?_

"No…"

Frowning, Sora peeked over his hands and saw Zidane moving restlessly, his hands reaching out for something and his legs kicking the blankets away.

"No!"

Sora was quick to reach out and grab one of Zidane's flailing hands, aware that his friend was caught in a nightmare.

"Please…please no! No…"

He shook Zidane lightly by the shoulders but to no avail. He didn't awaken and Sora watched helplessly as the nightmare grew worse.

"Leave them…Leave them! Please…please let her go!"

Unable to call out to him, Sora gripped Zidane's hand tighter and tried to hold the writhing blond down on the bed, fearful that he would only cause himself more harm if he didn't calm down. The blankets were knotted around his legs and the sheets were already damp with sweat.

Zidane was strong, unconsciously fighting Sora but the Keybearer was no weakling and for now was managing to hold his own. But still…Sora sure hoped Zidane would wake up soon. He knew firsthand how unpleasant bad dreams were but he also had a terrible, aching feeling that there was something far darker than a mere dream replaying itself across Zidane's consciousness.

"Stop it!"

Zidane sprung up so fast Sora didn't have a chance to pull back and the two teens cracked heads with an audible thud. Sora fell back as his hand was thrown free. He hit the solid steel ground hard while Zidane was shocked quite firmly into the present.

"Sora!"

The boy in question looked up, ruefully rubbing his head and backside. Zidane moved to help Sora up but his body quickly reminded him of his head injury and he fell back dizzily, just as Sora sprung to his feet. His blue eyes spoke for him, the concern aimed clearly at Zidane whose eyes were squinted as the pain caught up with him.

"Sorry…I'm…I'm really sorry. You okay?" Sora shook his head and pointed at Zidane, his concern not fading. Zidane smiled but his attempt looked far more like a grimace. "Don't worry, I'll be fine once this damn headache clears a little." Zidane found himself unable to ignore Sora's ongoing frown of concern. He sighed and fixed Sora with the most reassuring look he could muster. "I'm fine, I promise. It was just a stupid nightmare."

Sora looked away. It was hard to argue when your opponent could say whatever he wanted while you were locked up in silence. When he looked back, Zidane was slowly sitting up and he quickly helped his friend make himself comfortable.

"Remind me to never ever get on your bad side," Zidane jested with a grin. "This was just an accident so I'd hate to see you mad." His grin was quick to fade when he noticed Sora's guilty expression. "Hey, don't worry about it," he said softly, lightly touching Sora's arm. "It wasn't your fault. I don't blame you. I probably would've done the same thing if the roles were reversed. I heard that water and saw it just before we fell. Geez, I would've been scared silly. You dealt with it much better than I would have in your shoes."

Sora smiled and nodded his thanks. He really did appreciate Zidane's comforting.

 _Because, let's face it, you don't really need any more guilt piling up on your conscience do you? It's already quite a trash heap._

"So is Tifa around?"

Sora pointed to the door.

"Oh, the nurse got hold of her?"

A nod.

"Wow…I didn't know Tifa swung that way."

Zidane's comment was met with blushing confusion. He laughed quietly, mindful of his pounding head. "It's okay, I'm just teasing. Anyway, what about Reina?"

Sora shook his head and another frown marred his face.

"What? What is it? Was she hurt? Oh, she wasn't? Good. Okay…um…oh is she still on Atlantica? Ah so she is coming with is to Hollow Bastion…You know life would be a lot easier if you could talk Sora. Okay, okay! Sorry! Don't look at me like that, I know this is hardest for you. I know the Council might…Oh. Oh. She found out." Zidane pursed his lips. "Well that's not quite what we needed. But don't worry. Reina's a good woman and she won't let Tsuko run riot or have you clapped in irons or anything like that. She'll help us out I'm sure of it."

"Reina's actually waiting for you outside," Tifa called as she strode in. "We'll be at Hollow Bastion pretty soon actually and she wants to take you straight to the Council…"

"You mean she's not here to see me? Oh, my heart bleeds with sadness!"

"So you haven't had any sense knocked into you? That is a pity."

Knowing one of Tifa and Zidane's tit-for-tat play-fights was about to ensue, Sora waved goodbye and hurried out the door, not exactly sure if a one-on-one audience with Reina was going to be much better. He met her outside the sickbay and without a word she led him back to her small but comfortable apartment where she promptly ordered him to take a shower.

"You've got to look at least vaguely presentable when you stand before the Council," she called over the warm cascading water that Sora doused himself in. "You're covered in grim from running all over Atlantica. I'll have these clothes cleaned and find you something a little smarter for the time being."

The shower felt great and did wonders to revitalise him. However it also reminded Sora of all the bumps and scrapes his latest adventure had caused and by the time he stepped out of the shower and wrapped himself in a towel big enough for two, he was both energised and aching. He discovered his own clothes had gone and only his crown pendant and the Kingdom Keychain remained (as the others were all safely tucked under his bed in his cramped cabin). Then he found Reina had laid some clothes out over the towel-rack. Sora frowned as he looked at them, rubbing a hand through his soggy spiked hair. The outfit was largely black, the trousers close fitting and rather unlike Sora's loose-fitting taste. There was white collared T-shirt that was slightly baggy but still very smart. And then he found something that really puzzled him. He held out the long piece of black material and examined it closely, noticing how it started out thin at one end and ended in a thicker, diamond-like shape at the opposite side. Pendant in its rightful place and Keychain tucked safely in one pocket (barely deep enough for his hand to fit he noticed, irked), Sora took it with him once he left the bathroom, intending to ask…no…look questioningly at Reina until she explained.

Her response to his confused look and shake of the black thing was utter disbelief. "Don't you know what a tie is?" Her mouth actually gaped a little as Sora shook his head. Tutting, she took it from him and began putting it in place with what Sora regarded as a complex series of manoeuvres. "My goodness what kind of world do you come from?"

He glared at her, deeply offended. She didn't notice though. He came from a world he spent so much time wishing he'd never had to leave. But he couldn't tell Reina that.

"There you go," she said, smoothing out the creases in his shirt. She led him back into the steamy bathroom and aimed him at the mirror. "Don't you look smart?"

Sora barely recognised himself in the smart black trousers, shirt and tie. He felt uncomfortable and tugged at the tie, loosening it slightly. Reina nipped out the room and returned with a pair of dull leather black boots which Sora looked at in mild disgust. They were so small. He didn't like small shoes. He was really rather fond of big shoes. They were always more comfortable.

Once in the main living area, Sora sat down and reluctantly tugged the boots on. There was a knock at the door and Reina was quick to answer. Tifa stepped in and looked delighted as she saw Sora's new outfit.

"Wow, you look smart! You look very grown up. I bet you could pass for an adult and order alcohol at a bar in that get-up," she said with a wink.

Sora just pouted stubbornly. He was nervous enough about this upcoming meeting with the Council. He didn't need people teasing him because of the annoying clothes Reina had shoved him in to.

"Anyway, I just came to tell you we've arrived at base. Tsuko's already called for the three of us to report to the Council…"

And report to the Council they did. Barely half an hour after stepping off the Highwind, Sora was standing in the Council's chamber again and chafing under the undivided attention he was receiving from Tsuko, Metsu, Reina, Barret and Tifa. He was surprised and slightly relieved to see Yuki and Galuf both sitting off to one side, as they hadn't accompanied him off the ship, but his nerves didn't dissipate much. He lamented how complicated his life had become as Tsuko's narrow, pasty face managed to morph itself into a sickly grin.

"Well," he sighed dramatically, "Reina tells me you've got something to tell me."


	14. Chapter 14

All the Roads We Have To Walk: Chapter Fourteen

Sora kept his head bowed, in forced respect of Tsuko's authority and to hide the angry flush that warmed his cheeks. Simply put, Sora did not like this man and being ridiculed by him was utterly humiliating.

"So the Keyblade-wielding hero isn't so mighty after all." Tsuko paused for a melodramatic sigh. "I suspected as much."

Tifa moved to speak in Sora's defence but Galuf beat her to it from the sidelines. "With all due respect Councillor you are mistaken. Sora has…"

"Done as he promised, yes I am fully aware. But doesn't anyone else find it terribly convenient that he has now lost the ability to speak?"

"It doesn't bode well," Metsu agreed thoughtfully, his hands clasped under his chin.

"It most certainly does not," Tsuko went on. "You are obviously keeping secrets, secrets that probably spell doom for our efforts."

Sora looked Tsuko in the eye, fire burning in his sky-blue eyes.

 _It's okay. At least I understand you._

"Sora would do no such thing," Tifa said calmly, although there was a tightness in her voice that belied the effort it took to conceal her anger.

 _Although it's foolish of you, you would never endanger the lives of these people and just leave them to the Heartless. Just for the record…_

"Look at Atlantica," Galuf interjected before Tsuko could speak again. "The waters are returning…"

 _I say leave them to rot._

"And how does that help us? Our people could be drowned and we'd lose our biggest outpost," Metsu pointed out.

"It is what's best for that world brother," Yuki shot back, standing up with Galuf. "Atlantica was never meant to be so arid. It's an aquatic world and since Sora sealed the Keyhole there not only has the water partially returned but the Heartless have all but completely disappeared."

"By sealing the Keyhole, Sora has enabled the world of Atlantica to regain some of the life it lost to the Heartless," Galuf picked up where Yuki left off. "How can that be perceived as a bad thing?"

"How do we know that Atlantica's apparent revival isn't a mere ploy to put us all at ease before the Heartless unleash an attack that wipes out all our volunteers there? How do we know that this boy…" Tsuko's thin finger pointed at Sora who had to close his hands into fists to stop himself from marching over and snapping the offending digit in half.

 _You're too kind. But it's nice to see that you too have darkness in your heart. He was right about that you know. Every heart contains darkness._

"…hasn't been secretly plotting against us while he wasn't under supervision?"

He wanted to scream "I wouldn't do that!" but it was caught in his chest, constricting his heart and fuelling his rekindled frustration. Blood welled in his palms where he dug his nails in to stop himself from bursting into violent movement. Why couldn't things be simple? Why couldn't Donald and Goofy be here with him and help him prove to that fool Tsuko that he wasn't some kind of demon? Why couldn't he even stand up for himself? Why had his struggle, his fight to help protect worlds and people he didn't even know, become some kind of sick joke that everyone but Sora found amusing? Couldn't he catch just one break, one, to make his life a little bit easier when it was already so complicated?

Barret, who had been watching Sora closely and seemed to recognise the boy's feelings, spoke in his baritone voice, the volume controlled to be low but still loud enough to command instant attention. "Sora cannot do anything here. I recommend that we, the Council, discuss what is to be done next at length without him present." As the others nodded in agreement, Barret motioned to Yuki and Galuf. "Please accompany Sora to the Library where he will be met by Red who will take him to his room and ensures he remains there."

Tifa's eyes locked onto Sora's and she gave the barest of nods before Yuki and Galuf calmly led him from the huge room. Both were apologetic but even though Sora didn't like the idea of people talking about him behind his back, he was glad to be leaving. He didn't think he would've been able to keep himself from harming Tsuko for much longer. But for now, imagining his fist smashing into that ugly, twisted, smug and self-centred face was enough to satisfy Sora.

The journey down to the library was, of course, mostly silent thanks to Sora's unstoppable ability to be the biggest conversation killer ever. People kept looking at Sora with odd glances and some of them even fell silent, as if Sora's condition was so contagious it stole thoughts and other voices midway through their sentences. It made him very uneasy and even Galuf and Yuki seemed to dislike the frequent stares.

"What's going on here?" Yuki murmured as they stepped into the Entrance Hall, stepping carefully around a young woman who had stopped dead in her tracks and stared quite rudely at Sora.

"I do not have a good feeling about this," Galuf replied, guiding Sora into the Library as fast as he could without looking rushed or suspicious.

"What took you so long?" Red demanded the instant the threesome crossed the Library threshold, kicking the door shut behind them with his hind legs. "This is not the time for Sora to be wandering around in the open."

Sora looked at Red in confusion. Something had obviously happened while he'd been away.

Red led the way downstairs and through the small maze of bookshelves to a relatively hidden study area where Yuna sat upon a table swinging her legs and humming and Zidane sat in a chair with his bandaged head resting in his hands. When he heard the approaching foot (and paw) steps, Zidane looked up and a tired but relieved smile washed over his face as he stood and faced Sora. "It's good to see you still in one piece." The smile, however, was quickly obliterated by grim news. "Tsuko's been doing some very clever work while we've been gone."

"Not just Tsuko," Red corrected. "Metsu hasn't exactly been quiet either."

Zidane passed Sora a bag which, on closer inspection, contained Sora's more comfortable clothes. Grinning his thanks, Sora was about to disappear behind a bookcase and get changed when he remembered the annoying tie around his neck and looked morosely at the others for help.

"Let me, let me!" Yuna enthused so Sora, ignoring the chuckles of his male companions, got down on his knees and allowed the little girl to remove the offending article of clothing. "I've been really sad y'know Sora 'cause Red and I can't figure out an easy way to make you talk again." The girl deftly pulled the tie free with a sad look in her eyes. "You're not mad at me are you?"

Sora shook his head firmly. He wanted to tell her how grateful he was for her even bothering to help but all he could do was smile gently and swallow the ever-growing lump of frustration in his throat.

"Hurry up and get changed Sora," Red's voice was even graver than usual. "I can't guarantee how long it'll be safe to keep you here and not in your room where you're meant to be."

Sora ducked behind another bookcase and when he returned to the others he did so with a smile and clad in his comfortable, if a little beat up, black pants, blue T-shirt and belt and big comfy black boots. He barely managed to smother the urge to cast Firaga on the pile of clothes given to him by Reina but they too returned with him in the bag.

"For now I'll have to be brief," Red said as Sora came to stand next to Zidane. "The instant you left for the Coliseum someone on the Council, and I'm only assuming it was Tsuko, began circulating small but disquieting rumours that ever since the Keyblade had been found Heartless attacks have been on the increase. Then, just after you left for Atlantica the rumour was upgraded. The Keyblade was being used to create the illusion of everyone being safe but in truth the Key was being used to rally the Heartless into one final assault that would overthrow everything we've built and worked so hard for."

"Surely people don't believe that?" Zidane groused. "It's not exactly hard for people to learn the truth from all in-coming ships."

"Don't be so trusting," Galuf admonished. "The truth is frighteningly easy to manipulate."

"And the lies have been subtle and quiet, passed on from person to person until even those who knew the truth began to suspect that the lie was in fact reality," Red picked up Galuf's trail. "The people in charge of this are being very, very clever."

There was a sharp rap on the door and a young male voice called out. "This is the Hollow Bastion guard! I've been sent to ensure the Council's orders are carried out."

Zidane and Yuna grabbed Yuki and Galuf and led them into the bookshelf maze while Sora followed Red to the door.

"From here on out Sora you must endeavour to avoid disobeying or angering the Council."

Neither needed to open the door for the guardsman on the other side shoved it open and rushed in, armour clinking and spear held ready for attack.

"Now, now," Red said in his calmly authoritative voice. "No need for such violence. I was just allowing the boy to slip into more comfortable clothes. He's not used to the dress of your high society." There was a definite note of derision in Red's deep voice. "Come along Sora, the good guard here can accompany us both to your room." Boy and beast moved to walk away.

"I'm sorry Sir." The guard was definitely addressing Red. "But I've been given orders by the Council to have Silence cast on the boy."

Sora's eyebrow raised and ironic amusement bubbled within him. Red, however, looked more concerned. "Is that really necessary? Sora's made no hostile…"

The guardsman's left hand was suddenly on Sora's shoulder, holding him firmly in place. The amusement had definitely faded. "The Council has ruled this must be done." His right hand hovered over Sora's forehead. "Silence."

A melancholy blue light washed over him and Sora's heart suddenly felt like it had on Atlantica, like part of it had been shut off or completely numbed. He knew what had happened, and was justly angry, but he swallowed everything. Red was right. There was no point getting in any more trouble with the Council at a time like this.

"I shall escort you both to Sora's room," The guardsman said, armour clinking musically as he began marching the pair forward.

The ensuing walk and lift rides were heavy with tension and even when the guardsman left Red and Sora inside Sora's room, little relief was found.

"I suggest we you get some rest," Red said quietly, as if fearing unwelcome ears would be listening. "There's nothing else for you to do and you've been on the go for a long time. You might as well get some sleep while you have the chance."

Sora fell onto his bed and laid back, thoroughly exhausted by just about everything. It seemed odd that he was slipping off so easily into sleep, he mused as his eyes fought a losing battle to stay open. Red had taken up a position by the door, looking remarkably stately as he sat there on his hind legs, head held high and face perfectly calm. Drowsiness tugged Sora that little bit more and like a drowning man, he sank into the darkness.

 _Lying on ice wasn't comfortable but the view above was hypnotising. Clouds of grey and black streamed over the world, tumbling over each other in their unnatural haste._

 _A castle of darkness, of dereliction, of depression stood crumbling, lost and alone, upon a hilltop. A castle of light slept far below the frozen lake._

 _A dark, hooded face hovered over him suddenly, blocking his view of the racing grey clouds. "Hello again."_

 _He launched himself to his feet._

 _"This place is special. We both know that." The hooded man, identical in height to him, walked a slow circle around him on the ice. "The difference is…"_

 _The ice gave a deep, crunching groan._

 _"…I know everything there is to know regarding where we now stand in your dream…"_

 _He stumbled forward as the ice shifted downward._

 _"…and you still know nothing."_

 _Icy water lapped at his feet._

 _"Just as he said, you understand so little. You just move ever onwards without taking the time to learn about even the smallest detail that could save you so much trouble."_

 _It reached for his knees._

 _"There is so much you have to learn."_

 _The hooded man, his circle complete, stepped up to him and touched his cheek with one callused palm. He looked into the shadows and for a brief, almost intangible moment, saw something in the hidden eyes, something he recognised as…_

 _"Wake up."_

 _The ice fell away._

"Sora!"

For a brief moment after his blue eyes sprang open, Sora didn't know where he was. The darkness obscured his waking mind that was still half clutched in a frozen dreamscape. His mind was only beginning to grapple with reality when a pair of hands grabbed him and dragged him upwards, thrusting him forward even as his head spun from the rush of blood. His vision grainy and useless, Sora left his feet to fend from themselves, unsure of who he was with or where he was being led.

"Sorry about this." It was Tifa, Sora noted as the grey fuzz faded from his eyes and his head stopped swimming. "But we have got to leave and it has got to be now. Everyone's waiting for us onboard the Highwind." She led him, his arm firmly grasped by her hand, down a maze of dark back halls and dusty staircases Sora had never seen before. "The Council has ordered your arrest as well as mine, Zidane's and Red's. Even Reina and Barret are under suspicion. Tsuko has taken over completely. We are in serious trouble if we stay."

They didn't stop running down steps, along hallways, down more staircases…Sora soon lost track of where they were going and how long they'd been running. His legs, used to exercise as they were, had started to turn jelly-like and achy and were the only measure of time he had. Obviously they'd been running for several long minutes and Sora, sleepy mind fuelled solely by adrenaline, didn't dare slow down, not if Tifa was telling the absolute, unexaggerated truth.

There was the sound of several heavy, armour-clad footfalls behind them followed by shouts of "Stop!" and "You're under arrest!" Tifa, cursing vividly, put even more speed into their flight. Shots were fired but went wide as the fleeing pair sped haphazardly down another set of stairs.

"Almost there!"

Armoured footsteps gaining, Tifa slammed through a door and burst out into sunlight. They stood on a tiny balcony on one of Hollow Bastion's lower levels, nothing but open sky and one very long drop ahead of them.

"They're coming."

Sora summoned the Keyblade, ready to fight anyone that came out the door behind them. Over the sound of the wind he heard a rhythmic pounding that grew louder with each passing second. Unfortunately so did the sounds of the yelling guards and Sora held the Keyblade ready to unleash a Strike Raid.

"Come on, we've got to get ready to jump!"

Tifa pulled him towards the balcony's edge, allowing him to stay on guard while she did…well whatever it was she had in mind. Just as he stepped up onto the balcony's stone railings, guards in silver armour began to pour out of the doorway. Releasing the Keyblade, Sora's Strike Raid took down two in the first volley before taking out a third and fourth the next time.

"This is it!"

Sora looked over his shoulder and saw the Highwind hovering high behind them, a long rope ladder swinging freely in the air.

"Jump!"

Sora barely caught his weapon in time before he followed Tifa over the edge of the balcony. Ignoring the voice in his head screaming "you are INSANE!", he reached out and grabbed the rope, a little way below Tifa who was already climbing. Sora was quick to follow, gunshots following them both as they rapidly ascended. Tifa disappeared through an open window and a few seconds later, Sora climbed through into the Highwind's hanger where the sand buggy and various other modes of transportation were kept. Tifa was standing with Barret, who was yanking the ladder back through the open porthole while hollering into a phone (a pretty cool invention by Sora's technologically inept standards).

"I swore I'd never do that again after the last time," Tifa said with a mirthless laugh.

"Hopefully that was the last time," Barret replied. "At least there wasn't a slapping contest involved this time." He was rewarded with a true burst of laughter from Tifa.

The Highwind lurched forwards, tipping all three of the hanger's occupants onto the ground. Growling, Barret launched himself towards the hanger's exit. "I knew there was a good reason I never let that monkey pilot while I was around…"

Sora watched through the window as Hollow Bastion began to fade into the distance. He was still trying to process exactly what was going on but he knew one thing for sure: if his job had been troublesome before, now it had found a whole new level of complicated.

"Come on," Tifa said gently. "Let's get to the bridge. I think Red has a plan."

With one last glance at the now speck-like world, Sora followed Tifa in a brooding silence.

 _You just move ever onwards without taking the time to learn about even the smallest detail that could save you so much trouble_


	15. Chapter 15

All the Roads We Have To Walk: Chapter Fifteen

"This is where we're going," Red said, jabbing one razor sharp claw at the Deep Jungle image on the map Tifa had rolled out on the bridge's floor.

"Any particular reason or are you just in the mood for some forest scenery?" Barret asked.

"Sora's cure is there."

Everyone perked up, but with the exception of Sora, all looked incredibly pessimistic.

"I told you it was gonna be hard," Yuna said dolefully.

Sora looked at them all and threw out his hands in a "what?" gesture.

"Deep Jungle isn't just full of Heartless," Red explained. "It's full of poisonous plants and deadly wildlife. The plant we're looking for is a very specific herb and it's very, very rare."

"And aside from worrying about that, we need to figure out a way to disguise the Highwind." Tifa added. "Tsuko will send people after us and in this ship we're nothing more than target practice. Reina stayed behind to try and stall him but I doubt she'll have much luck."

"Already got a plan for the ship," Barret said with a grin. "We'll paint her."

"Good idea," Zidane said quietly.

Sora gave the tailed blond a sidelong glance. Ever since he'd woken up from that nightmare he'd been…off somehow, like a shadow had fallen over his cheerier self. He seemed tired and lacking his usual characteristic energy. Sora barely knew Zidane but he knew enough to know that the person sitting with him now had, in recent times, changed drastically. Sore knew first hand what it was like to become a changed person but he got the feeling that Zidane was practically a different person.

"We need a back up plan," Galuf spoke up. "What if Tsuko, by some stroke of misfortune, sends people to the Deep Jungle before we get there?"

Everyone was quiet for a moment, each pondering on new locations, their eyes racing across the map in front of them. Yuki thrust his finger at Halloween Town. "It'd be the last place they'd look."

"And for a very good reason!" Tifa said sharply. "No way are we going there."

Sora cocked his head. What was wrong with Halloween Town?

Zidane caught Sora's look. "Halloween Town is a stronghold of Heartless even though it's one of the world's furthest from their main power base. The town just seems to call them to itself. People who go there don't have a nice time."

"And that's the reason no one would look for us there," Yuki reiterated.

Barret nodded. "It's a good idea Tifa. Why are you so against it?"

She sighed and held a hand to her forehead. "Look, I know we're going to have to go there at some point so Sora can seal the Keyhole but…" She gave Sora an apologetic look. "I just don't want Sora to go there until he's cured. He'll…he'll need a voice if he got split up from the people he was with…"

Sora knew Tifa was speaking the truth. He'd been suspecting for a long time now that every world he went to would be different, like someone had added something to a picture they'd painted long ago. Halloween Town would be no different.

"Okay, we'll keep that plan on the back burner," Yuki said. "Anywhere else?"

Before anyone could give an alternative location, a blaring klaxon began to scream and the ship's pilot hollered for Tifa, who was quick to run over to the helm. "What's going on?"

"That!" The pilot pointed a wavering finger at the Highwind's large viewscreen.

All eyes turned and saw the very wide mouth of Monstro heading right at them. Sora couldn't quite believe it. Jiminy's words came back to him. _A whale of a whale and vicious besides…_ and the gargantuan beast was about to swallow the Highwind whole.

"Grab on to something!" Barret ordered.

Sora ran for cover but halfway there, the ship tilted and his feet went from under him.

 _Here you go again._

The back of his head cracked against a console and all went dark.

 _Lost somewhere, deep in the rotting castle, voices calling out to him._

 _"Here. Here!"_

 _"Come on, get up!"_

 _He struggled to his feet. His head hurt and his thoughts were sluggish as if they had to lug themselves through a quagmire._

 _"This way!"_

 _"Here!"_

 _He stumbled out of the small, broken down room and into a hallway that was lit only by pale, blue moonlight. He glanced out a nearby cracked windowpane and saw, in the distance, that glimmering lake._

 _"It's here!"_

 _Down the pillared hallway, past the rubble and the darkness, an odd light was shining at the passage's far end. It seemed to glow in time with the throb in his head and he began to edge toward it._

 _"The end of the…"_

 _A hand seized his ankle and he fell forward. He didn't have a chance to scramble up, a body pinned him down, the weight oddly familiar. He tried to twist his head to see who pushed him down but it was impossible._

 _His captor leaned in very close. "I'm here." The weight on his back was painful. "And don't forget, you can tell me anything. After all…" A frozen hand slid around his chest. "I am the one who knows you best."_

 _Clouds fell over the moon and darkness covered all._

"Well, this has got to rank as the weirdest experience ever."

"Ugh, it's so gross!"

Sora blinked his eyes open, wincing instantly as his head gave a throb. He drew himself to his knees before climbing carefully to his feet, stumbling a little on the shadowy, uneven deck. Everything had tilted to the left and the view out the huge screen in front of him was one he was grudgingly familiar with. Monsto's mouth. It looked exactly like it had during Sora's last impromptu visit, only the Highwind was so far lodged in the whale's mouth that the ship's nose had crashed into the old wooden frame of what had once been Gepetto's ship. In front of the huge glass screen stood two of the Highwind's crew, talking animatedly. He looked around but didn't see any of the others on deck. Looking out the viewscreen he saw Tifa, Barret and Galuf stepping into view.

"You okay?"

Jerking with shock, Sora turned quickly and came face to face with Zidane who, in the shady light, looked even more exhausted and unhappy than before. Sora nodded and made a point of laying his hand on Zidane's shoulder.

"I'm fine," he replied, forcing a smile. "Just a tad irked that Barret has decided this is the perfect place for us to spend a little time to redecorate the Highwind. It really stinks out there…You wanna take a smell?"

Red chose that moment to pad over from the lift area. "I believe Sora has had the misfortune of visiting Monstro once before, yes?"

Sora gave a nod. Zidane looked amazed. "You have?" Another nod. "Sheesh, sucks to be you," the blond added, lightly running a hand through his hair, mindful of the bandage swathed around his bruised head.

"I think Barret wants to look around while Tifa and the crew redecorate," Red said, leading the way as he, Zidane and Sora left the bridge for the outside…world.

"What's he hoping to find?" Zidane asked.

"I couldn't tell you. Maybe any other shipwrecked people."

"Maybe he just doesn't want to paint the ship," Zidane smirked. "Maybe he's too used to ordering others to do the dirty work."

Red shot him a look and the smirk faded back into Zidane's stony expression. He stepped around the four-legged genius and walked on alone. Sora and Red shared a glance, both realising that their concern was mirrored in the other. Red slowly shook his head and carried on walking, catching up with Zidane and brushing past him with a dismissive air. Sora hurried to catch up with both of them and a few silent minutes later, during which the tension between Red and Zidane could've been cut with nothing short of Cloud's Buster Sword, the trio emerged outside…inside Monstro. The smell, familiar but nonetheless pungent, assaulted Sora's nostrils and he swallowed hard at his gut's reaction to remind him of his last meal. Spotting Barret and Tifa, Sora walked towards them. Zidane had gone to stand with Galuf and Yuki and Red's attention had been swiftly called upon by a small group of engineers who were pointing at various parts of the ship and talking rapidly and excitedly over one another.

"I know what you're going to say."

Sora looked over and saw Barret standing with his hand clasping Tifa's shoulder, who stood with her back to Keybearer.

Tifa laughed but when she spoke she sounded as though she were on the verge of tears. "I just wish he were here to give us his cocky grin and say in that way he always did, everything will be fine."

"And I always tell you the same thing: you're managing just great anyway and you already know everything's gonna be fine."

"I know. But still I…"

"Hey, I miss him too…just not in the same way…er…"

Tifa laughed and brushed her eyes. "I know."

Sora, not exactly sure if he should've overheard that particular moment, coughed to draw attention to himself. Tifa blinked several times as she turned to face him and a slightly stale smile quickly launched itself across her face.

"I'm going to take a look around," Barret said. "Wanna come along or would you prefer to do some painting?" Sora stepped up to Barret and pointed firmly towards the opening that led into the maze of Monstro's innards. "Heh, that's what I thought."

"Well, you two be careful," Tifa said. "I'm going to stay here and keep an eye on the ship. Contact me by the PHS if you find anything or need assistance."

"Come on kid," Barret said, leading the way. He gave his gun arm a quick inspection before stepping through into the darker parts of Monstro's stinking body.

Sora summoned the Keyblade as he followed Barret, not knowing if there were any Heartless around but not willing to be caught unaware. Perhaps the Heartless were wise and had decided to rightfully forgo all and any expeditions into Monstro. Sora didn't recall the whale smelling so vile previously and as he and Barret sloshed their way through the first couple of chambers his left hand grew tighter around his rumbling stomach.

"I don't like this," Barret growled as they found themselves wading through deeper and deeper amounts of bodily slime. They had to stop for a little while after they found a ledge to perch on because the smell was making the journey extremely tough. "We've had people trapped in Monstro before and no one ever reported anything like this."

 _Are you getting the feeling that it's always you?_

Pushing on, Sora realised that as they neared the place where he, Donald, Goofy and even Riku had first fought the old Heartless creature that had taken Pinocchio the smell was growing a lot worse. Everything about Monstro appeared to be worse. The flesh and muscles Sora could see were no longer healthy pinks but rather greying purples and fading whites. The sludge they trudged through, deep brown with flecks of dirty yellows and nasty greens, was steadily growing deeper as well and by the time they had hauled themselves to the chamber that stood in front of the bowels, Sora was chest deep. The foul slick oozed into his shoes and coated his body and clothes and occasionally splashed his face. Barret, who had already pulled himself up onto a ledge, helped the boy out of the sticky mess and together they spent a few minutes getting their breath back and waiting for their stomachs to settle. Sora tried not to breathe too deep…the stench was making his eyes water, his head spin and his stomach was constantly flip-flopping.

"I dunno about you Sora," Barret said as he stood up. "But there ain't no way I'm going back that way."

Sora offered a weak smile, swallowing back the bile hard before trusting himself to move. Once back on his feet, he decided against standing still and walked quickly into the chamber ahead, breathing shallowly to avoid the overpowering stench. The bowels were in a state of terrible decay, dead tissue and flesh rotting everywhere. In some places Sora could see bone and he knew that wasn't a good sign.

But there was something else in Monstro's bowels to stop Sora dead.

"Hello Sora."

 _What's wrong?_

"I thought you…"

… _liked games?_

Already struck dumb, Sora was now rendered immobile by utter shock. Riku, dressed from head to foot in black, stood on the opposite side of the bowel chamber, smirking. His eyes seemed darker than before and his hair more wild. He took two steps forward and Sora unconsciously took one back. The Keyblade also faded away from his filthy hand, as if on some subconscious level Sora feared Riku would take it away from him again. He cast a quick glance over his shoulder and discovered Barret was nowhere to be seen.

"Are you making more friends to replace me and Kairi again?"

Sora shook his head vehemently. He'd never done that! He never would!

Riku took another two steps before launching himself into the air, landing a somersault neatly in front of Sora. "I don't have long but I wanted to tell you something." He grinned, the expression so familiar yet tinged with something nasty. Riku stepped around Sora and began pushing him to the centre of the room. His hands were so cold. "Things aren't the same this time." They stopped over the trap opening that led back to Monsto's mouth. "This time…"

The trapdoor started opening.

"…you can't save me."

Riku's hand curled around the back of Sora's neck and the older boy easily lifted Sora off his feet. Sora kicked out wildly but to no avail and Riku held him over the edge of the trap door. "Just one more thing."

He let go.

 _I'm not Riku._


	16. Chapter 16

All the Roads We Have To Walk: Chapter Sixteen

Sora landed hard on spongy ground, winded but thankfully free of broken bones. Gasping for breath, pain slowly subsiding, he looked back up only to see Riku turn and walk away. He rolled onto his knees and coughed air into his lungs.

Riku was here.

"Sora!" Looking over he saw Tifa running toward him, her expression anxious. She gave him a hesitant hand and helped him to his feet, wiping the gunge off as soon as Sora released it. "We've got some major problems," she blurted out, her nose wrinkled. "I'm sorry but you stink!" she protested, assuming his look of shock was due to her remark. "Anyway, Barret just called for backup. He said he was attacked when you stepped into the chamber. There are Heartless chasing him back here and on top of that Red's realised Monstro's dying." She tightened the glove straps around her wrists. "Things are going from bad to worse fast. Zidane's helping everyone pack everything back up onboard the ship… If we don't leave now we'll be in a lot of trouble."

Sora barely heard her. He picked up on Heartless and dying but nothing else seemed to puncture the bubble of shock that had engulfed him.

Riku was here. Riku was here.

 _"Just one more thing."_

 _I'm not Riku._

The sound of rapid, squelching footsteps finally drew his attention and he looked over to the ship and saw a steady line of people rushing towards the opening where Barret and the Heartless would emerge any moment.

 _"You can't save me."_

"Oh! Before I forget…" Tifa reached into a pocket. "I can't believe I hadn't already sorted this out for you but Red only just remembered himself. Ah, here it is. Drink it, it's an Echo Screen. It'll counteract the Silence cast on you back in Hollow Bastion."

Numbly, Sora did as he was told. A warm flush trailed down into his stomach but it was in his heart where he felt the unfurling and reawakening of something. His magic returned to him, for if he was honest even he had forgotten that he'd been the victim of a Silence curse. Some of the shock managed to slip away. The Keyblade flashed into his hand and, shaking off the rest of his surprise as best he could, Sora ran for the gathering crowd with Tifa close behind. They arrived at the front lines just as Barret came sprinting into Monstro's mouth, firing blindly behind him.

"They're coming!" he hollered. "We're not gonna be able to hold them all back. Tifa, get the Highwind ready to leave!"

"Got it!" she cried and took off towards the ship.

Barret's eyes found Sora and he almost gaped in surprise. "How did you get here!"

Sora pointed to the hole in the roof of Monstro's mouth that he had fallen through. Barret made a sound that could've been a growl, probably because he could have saved himself a gut-churning sprint back to the mouth but if he'd had a comment to add it was lost as a wave of ice washed over everyone and the Heartless descended upon them.

"We only gotta hold 'em off 'til the Highwind is ready!" Barret roared. "Don't anyone go getting themselves killed!"

Sora ran forward, Keyblade slicing through the air with practised ease. But with the chill of the Heartless came that overpowering stench and Sora found himself struggling to concentrate on fighting. He barely parried the blow of one teenage-looking Heartless because his attention had been drawn to the poor crewmembers that had collapsed to their knees, retching profusely. Hooking the Keyblade around his nearest opponent, Sora threw it out of his path and without a pause slipped into an almighty Ragnarok attack. Flying through the air, he managed to knock several Heartless off course before they slid their icy hands into the bodies of their overcome victims.

"If you can't fight get to the ship!" Red's voice hit the air and Sora turned in time to see the four-legged librarian unleash a wicked back somersault, his front paws followed up by his hind legs giving the Heartless a double whammy. It crashed into the ground and Red moved on, covering the flanks of the crew who fell back, many of them dragging each other across the uneven, soggy ground. Red growled a warning, "Sora, on your right!" He tried to run towards Sora but three Heartless, as thick muscled as Barret yet somehow taller, stood in his way.

Left alone, Sora turned, calling upon Thundaga as he moved and bringing the Keyblade up to attack once the magic had done its damage. But when he came face to face with a Heartless, probably once a woman, whose face was torn in heart-shattering grief, Sora faltered. The Heartless' pain struck him heavier than a blow and for the first time in battle, even when he'd been fighting his oldest friend, emotion overwhelmed him and he couldn't fight her. Somehow, part of his own heart latched onto her pathetic expression and saw something of himself therein. Never before had the thought these were once people been so strong within him. These were people. _Human people just like me._

 _Well, not exactly like you…_

The Heartless' face blurred over before sharpening again, her pale features suddenly contorted into sly triumph.

… _You see kid…_

Jabs of ice suddenly pierced Sora's back and his head whipped around to discover a wall of shimmering, ghostly figures surrounded him. It was just like Traverse Town….

… _these Heartless aren't quite what you're used to dealing with._

Summoning Aeroga, Sora's teeth clenched together, his pride bruised by his ridiculous gullibility. Silent wind flushed around him and kept the Heartless at bay but he knew it wouldn't last for long. Unable to manoeuvre the Keyblade because he was so encased in Heartless, Sora let off an uncontrolled Firaga. A few were knocked off balance and bumped into others but still there were more closing in on him, more than he could count.

 _You want to know why they're different?_

Beyond the silence the Heartless ushered around him Sora could just about hear the sound of Barret's gunfire and the revving of the Highwind's engines. But then there was silence that seemed full of something, full of pent up sound that was ready to spill over. It was as if the Heartless, ready to kill him at any moment, were enforcing their muteness. If they wanted to, the probably could have deafened anyone with their pain. They had been people.

 _These are mine._

Sora knew he could make a run for it but the crowd around him was thicker than in Traverse Town and already their mere proximity was causing his limbs to stiffen. He gathered his magic within him, pouring as much strength in as he could.

 _You don't want to die here, I know._

The Thundaga spell, enhanced as it was, did little more than the Firaga but it gave Sora enough room to slash an arc that, combined with the Thundaga, took out five Heartless. But it wasn't enough and the chill grew into a knife-like pain, jabbing into Sora from all angles. He couldn't break free for long enough to launch any kind of offensive and his Aeroga barrier had just dispersed.

 _And I don't want this to be as far as you get._

A pure white hand thrust forward, aimed for his chest. Sora ducked quickly to avoid it but instantly found himself lost in a world of blurry legs belonging to no one and everyone. Above him, where he had just been standing, not a space remained the sheet of faces and Sora was left with no choice but to crawl through the legs, wincing and crying out silently when he passed through a body.

 _So here's my clue to you._

He had to dismiss the Keyblade from his hands before he dropped it because his arms were getting increasingly numb. The feeling of a chill so cold it was starting to feel warm had started in his shoulders but had reached his elbows and was jolting up into his hands each time they slapped Monstro's rotting flesh. His arms shuddered with the effort of holding his body weight but he couldn't get up and run. He wanted to but he knew to do so would mean his death.

 _Riku gave you something. Something other than a shock of course._

Sora's arms gave out and he fell onto his stomach, his leg landing painfully on something as he went. Confused, Sora had to use his right arm to guide his left into his pocket. There, his barely moveable hands closed around something smooth and sphere-like.

 _Be a good boy and provide me with a better fight next time, okay?_

Pulling it out with frustrating slowness, Sora's eyes saw it and recognised the green orb as a chunk of Materia. With his attention riveted on it Sora couldn't help but notice the flicker of light that never went out deep in the orb's core. Everything else seemed to fall away, as if he'd fallen into a hole that took him away from the Heartless and even away from his semi-paralysed body. Around his mind danced a word…no, a spell, that he couldn't quite grasp. He wasn't deep enough yet.

A Heartless hand thrust itself into his chest, reaching for his heart but he barely noticed. He'd fallen away from his body and he was still falling, falling deeper into that green fire. Just has a hand closed around his already bruised heart, a single word, a spell, made itself known and his mind bellowed the word.

 _ **ULTIMA!**_

Green light sparkled merrily before a high-pitched screech hit the air and light turned to raging fire and all was lost to a sparking green inferno. Time seemed to stand still as Sora was thrown out his hole and found himself kneeling in the very centre of the spell, watching Heartless fall into the ground through a pea soup haze. His searching eyes found Barret, Red and several crewmembers looking around in stunned amazement. The spell came to an explosive end, wiping out all other enemies as the fire broke up into glowing embers that fell to the ground as softly and quaintly as snow.

All eyes turned to Sora, who managed to climb to his feet. He took a few uncertain steps, not exactly sure what he'd just done. He looked down again at the Materia orb in his hand.

 _When we meet, you'd better make good use of that. Riku was kind to deliver it, was he not?_

"Sora…" Barret was uncharacteristically wordless as Sora meandered towards the rest of the group.

"Barret! Red!" Zidane's voice bellowed from the Highwind. "Everyone, get onboard! We need to move!"

The crewmembers were gone in a heartbeat but Red and Barret remained for a moment, both looking at Sora as if uncertain he could make it alone. Barret reached out and clamped a hand on Sora's shoulder, finally pulling the boy's attention off the Materia orb. "We need to get out of here," he said with gruff softness. "Once we're there we can…er…we can talk about it…sort of."

Eyes a little too bright, Sora nodded dumbly and followed Red and Barret's rapid sprint back to the ship. Once onboard, the hatch slammed shut. They didn't stop there and hurried to the lift that would take them to the bridge. Monstro gave a long, mournful wail and Sora, as stuck in the recent past as he was, felt an odd sadness to know that the whale was about to die.

"We're gonna have to punch through Monstro's body," Zidane's voice announced just as the trio emerged on the bridge. He was seated in the pilot's chair, blue eyes narrowed with determination. "Hold on to something!"

Barret had the foresight to grab hold of Sora and keep them both from slamming into walls. The Highwind jerked forwards and smashed into the side of Monstro's mouth, eliciting another pain-filled cry from the dying mammal. Zidane pushed the engines to full power and it was with a sickening crunching, slurping pop that the Highwind freed itself from the whale's carcass and back into real space. Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief and once they were clear of the organic wreckage, Zidane handed the Highwind's helm back to it's pilot and went with Tifa to Sora, Barret and Red.

"You all alright?" Zidane asked, sounding a little less hollow and a little more caring than he had earlier.

"I think so…" Red said. "Sora, how did you summon Ultima?"

 _It's a beautiful spell, don't you think?_

"Sora!" Red called a little louder.

 _It takes a powerful person, a powerful heart to summon it._

"I've seen this before," Barret said. "He's just spaced out 'cause the spell was so massive."

 _Takes a little darkness too._

Sora, who had been clutching the Materia in a filthy hand, opened his closed fist and revealed it to all.

"Where did you get that?" Tifa cried out. "The Ultima Materia…I haven't seen that in years…"

Sora shook his head, closing his eyes. How could he tell them? He looked up and could see the tense concern shared between Tifa, Barret and Red. He feared that maybe they too would start to distrust him…and that…that would be…

 _The end of everything._

He grabbed Tifa's arm and thrust the Materia orb into her hand. He tried to walk away but his head suddenly gave an ominous spin and his legs grew shaky.

"Let's just get out of here for now and worry about all this later," Zidane said, stepping up to Sora and giving him a supportive arm. "We need to figure out our next move and some of us…" his eyes landed on Barret, "need showers."

"We'll take Sora to his room," Red said before Barret could start verbally sparring with Zidane, padding over to the Keybearer's side. "He'll be alright after some rest. Spells like Ultima always take their toll on the user the first time. I'll find Yuna too. White magic is her speciality so I'm sure she can speed his recovery up a bit."

"Yeah, the sooner the better," Zidane said as he walked his younger friend back to the lift. "Sora, you stink."

The boy didn't even react, he just left the bridge quietly, his mind still trying to comprehend everything.

"Hey, wake up!"

Goofy's eyes opened and he yawned laboriously, stretching his long body as best he could in the cramped cockpit.

"Look, Goofy, we've arrived!"

Yawn over, Goofy looked out the glass of the cockpit. "Gwarsh Donald, you're right!"

Donald managed a tiny smile. "Feels good to be back…"

Goofy sighed. "Yeah…sorta."

The two sat in a melancholic silence only briefly before Donald shook himself and took hold of the ship's controls again. "We'll let's land and go see everyone."

"Right."

And with that, Donald brought the gummi ship to land in the hanger of Disney Castle.


	17. Chapter 17

All the Roads We Have To Walk: Chapter Seventeen

Sora sat on the bed, blinking heavily. He knew he was awake but everything felt distant somehow, as though he was looking on from another room. Zidane sat with him while Red went off in search of Yuna.

"That was all kinda random huh?"

Sora gave a vague nod. He could feel his mind slipping onto different issues even as his eyes found Zidane's. Every time he tried to focus on the present wholly his thoughts fell back into the hole Ultima had pushed him down. What was it the voice had said _? Be a good boy and provide me with a better fight next time…_ Sora's eyes narrowed. Fine. Next time, whenever it would be, he would give everything that came his way the fight of their life.

"We're headed to the Deep Jungle now. I can't wait for Red and Yuna to help you get your voice back. I'm looking forward to you explaining just about everything that's been going on lately."

Sora fell backwards, lying flat on his bed with his arms stretched out. He'd like to explain everything as well. Maybe that way everything would work itself out and everyone onboard the Highwind would be able to go home to Hollow Bastion without stopping off in jail first.

Above him, the ceiling seemed to be slowly swaying. He blinked hard and rubbed an arm over his eyes. The ship around him seemed wider than before, like a colossal pair of hands had grabbed everything in existence and pulled it apart a little. He hid his eyes behind his hands, wanting to see nothing but darkness for a while…preferably until everything felt a little less bizarre.

His eyes closed behind his hands, Sora's thoughts returned to Riku. How had he got there? Why…why was he doing the things he did? There had to be something Sora could do! He couldn't just leave Riku here in these strange, altered worlds. And maybe Riku knew something about what was happening and could give Sora some answers. After all, he had spent time with the King locked up inside Kingdom Hearts. He must've learned something while he was there. Sora's hands curled into tight fists. There was no way he was going to leave Riku out there alone. He couldn't let things be the same as they were before. If he did anything right, it would have to be that.

Sora's determination awoke something within him, something he'd barely realised missing until now. Everything had taken him by surprise lately, absolutely everything. But that couldn't go on, he couldn't keep using that as an excuse. He had a duty, a destiny, that was his alone. This was it. There would be no more running away, no more lucky escapes. It was time for him to take control of his life. The sooner he did that, the sooner things would start making sense again, Sora was sure of it.

"The weirdness will wear off soon enough," Zidane said, bursting quietly in on Sora's thoughts and bringing him firmly back to the small cabin once again. "Whenever you summon magic that's slightly beyond your current limits you'll get wiped out like this. Everything feeling a bit…funky?" A nod. "Like someone kinda put a fist in your brain and mashed everything up?" Another careful nod. "Well, Yuna's better at this kinda thing then I am so I'm sure she'll be able to give you some proper advice rather than random questions. Hey, don't look at me like that…"

"Indeed, by all means slap him round the head and get some sense into that thick skull."

Sora lifted himself up on his elbows, telling himself the room wasn't rocking like a ship in a storm, to see Red escorting Yuna into the room. Zidane was quick to move out the way as Yuna came bolting over to Sora's side.

"I saw what you did from the cafeteria. That was so cool!"

Sora offered a wan smile.

"But Mr. Red said that it's made you all spacey. That's okay. The same thing happened to me once when I was learning how to use Curaga instead of Cura." She plopped herself down on the bed, her short brown hair bouncing playfully as she turned to Sora. "All you can really do is sit quietly and not do anything. You won't be able to sleep 'cause if you do you'll make your head feel worse and you'll probably throw up which I don't really wanna see 'cause it'd be kinda gross."

Sora couldn't help but laugh silently at Yuna's prattling. She was adorable, like all little girls were when they tried to act like grownups. She kind of reminded him of how Kairi once was when he first met her and when she first got over her initial shyness towards everyone except the Mayor and his wife. Yuna's rambling helped counteract the unavoidable ache that accompanied thoughts of Kairi. Sora never wished that she were with him because he wouldn't want to inflict his complicated life on her. But sometimes he did wish that he could just make everything else stop so he could go and make sure she was alright. He wanted to make sure that little idiot Tidus wasn't teasing her, check to see Wakka was watching over her and see if Selphie was being a good friend to her. But he knew such idle wishes were a waste of time so he fought to bring his attention back to Yuna before he plunged into tainted daydreams.

"…So you should just lie there and do nothing 'til you're feeling better."

"I'll return to the bridge and check up on what Tifa and Barret have planned for our next move," Red decided aloud before turning and leaving the room.

"Oh, hey, I've got an idea," Zidane said, taking a step towards the door. "I'll go get my card deck to help pass the time. I'll teach you both how to play Tetra Master." He looked at Yuna and addressed her with a mock-seriousness. "Do you think Sora is up to playing or shall we leave him here alone with lots of peace and quiet?"

Yuna's eyes sparkled gleefully, caught up in the joke. "I think he'd better just watch Mr. Zidane," she said, managing to hold back her own giggles. "We don't want to make him sick 'cause…"

"Tifa wouldn't be pleased if we made a mess of her lovely clean ship would she?" Zidane said casually over his shoulder as he left the small cabin.

"Nope!"

Sora shook his head and rolled his eyes, pulling himself upright. His head was starting to feel a little more setttled but everything still seemed like it had shifted a little outside the norm of things.

Yuna surprised him by placing a cool hand on his slightly warm forehead. She closed her dual coloured eyes and Sora felt a wash of healing warmth flood through him. The world around him sharpened all the more and his head's spinning settled down so much that it was barely perceptible unless he turned too quickly. "That should help," she said with a gentle smile, looking and sounding suddenly far older. For a brief heartbeat Sora had a vision of her adult self, smiling at him calmly, but it faded the instant he blinked. "And soon Mr. Red and I will help you get your voice back! We've got everything planned out and I know exactly what to do."

Shaking off his strange sight, Sora smiled and nodded, thanking Yuna by giving her hand a gentle squeeze which she responded to by throwing her arms around him and hugging him tight.

"I'm still sorry we couldn't help you sooner Sora," she said quietly. "But I know everything will be fine soon."

Zidane chose that moment to walk in and Yuna, in all her childlike exuberance, sprung off the bed and danced around his feet, looking at the deck of well-used cards he held in one gloved hand. Zidane managed to make it back to the bed and sat down without tripping over the happy girl. Yuna sat back down and Sora shuffled closer to make sure he learned the game's rules perfectly. Time ran away as Sora and Yuna were taught the basics of Tetra Master. Sora found himself staring in amazement at the cards Zidane had given him. His favourite had a picture of a bright orange bomb that resembled a pumpkin. It reminded him of Halloween Town.

"All the things on these cards can be found on my world," Zidane said heavily. "Well…they could've been found before the Heartless came I mean."

That was the only moment a shadow descended on the group. It was soon fought off by Yuna's delight at beating Sora in their first, second and third game. Sora frowned, scratching his head. He couldn't quite get his head around how everything worked yet but he would eventually.

There was no way he was going to lose to a girl. Especially not a girl who was five years younger than he was.

Donald and Goofy had received a heroes welcome the instant they stepped off their ship but both wore false smiles and hurried through the crowds as fast as they could. They had been told upon landing that the Queen was waiting for a report in the throne room. But the motive behind their haste was more one of sadness rather than duty.

Once in a quieter hallway, Donald and Goofy had a chance to talk before their upcoming audience with the Queen.

"What do we tell her?" Goofy asked.

"About what?"

"Uh…" Goofy rubbed his head as if it ached. "Um…well…everythin' I guess."

"We'll just have to tell everything like we know it."

"But we dunno about the King or Sora."

"Maybe the Queen has some news for us."

"Ooh, maybe the King's here too!"

"Hmph, don't get your hopes up."

Goofy was silent for a moment as he reflected on some concerns. "Are we gonna be stayin' here?" he finally asked just as they reached the massive doors of the throne room. "Shouldn't we be, uh y'know, lookin' for Sora?"

Donald looked up at Goofy, his expression grave. "Of course we'll go back and look for him! We just…we just need to think of some new places to visit."

Before Goofy could get another word in edgeways, the throne room's real door, not the gigantic trompe l'oeil that bore the insignia of the King, swung open.

"The Queen will see you now," announced a booming, disembodied voice.

"Aw, I wish I didn't feel so nervous," Goofy muttered as he followed Donald.

"Me too."

"Ah ha! Do you give in?"

Sora pouted as he caved in and handed his final five cards to Yuna, who had just beaten him again with a perfect score.

"You really suck at this," Zidane commented. "Come on then Yuna, let's see if you can beat a pro like me."

"You're on!"

But before either player could set up for a new game, the door to Sora's cabin opened with a clang and Barret stood in front of them all, casting a shadow of the small room.

"Sorry to break up the fun kids but we're 'bout to land in the Deep Jungle. We'll need everyone to help cover the ship up. We gotta hide it while we make some repairs and finish the alterations."

"Any trouble yet?" Zidane asked as he gathered up the cards, much to Yuna's disappointment.

There was a heavy frown on Barret's face as he answered. "Tifa thinks the sensors picked up some ships registered to Hollow Bastion as we passed some of the nearby worlds. We probably ain't gonna have long before they're here lookin' for us."

Sora got off the bed and Yuna, who was close behind, took hold of his hand. Looking down Sora saw the fear and uncertainty in her eyes.

"I don't want to go to prison," she murmured with a trembling lip, clutching Sora's hand tighter. "I haven't done anything wrong!"

Unused to comforting people without using words, Sora knelt down to Yuna's level and offered her a bright smile in place of telling her _don't worry, everything's gonna be just fine._

"Are you sure?" she asked, trying not to chew her bottom lip.

Sora gave a confident nod, even if his gut was telling him there was far more trouble ahead than there was behind…and he knew trouble.

"Well…if you say so…" she said quietly.

"Let's move out," Barret said. "C'mon, we've got work to do. Sora, we gotta go meet Tifa and Red by the hatch. Zidane, Tifa's ordered me to make sure you get checked out in the sickbay before you do anything else. And you'd better do it too 'cause you know how ratty she gets when her orders ain't followed." Zidane left with a wave. "And Yuna…" A softness came over Barret then and the giant of a man knelt down much like Sora had. "Red's got a special request for ya kiddo."

Yuna's eyes lit up but her voice remained quiet. "Really?"

"Red wants you to set up all the equipment you're gonna need to sort out Silent Boy," Barret said with a smile, his heavy hand clamping down on Sora's shoulder and almost sending the boy flying. "He says you're the only one he trusts t'do it right."

"Mr. Red really thinks that about me?" Yuna's eyes went positively starry.

"Yep, sure he does. Now, c'mon Sora. We'll escort Yuna to where she's gotta go and then we'll wait for Tifa and Red."

So with Yuna skipping merrily at his side, his arm swinging with hers, Sora went forwards with a new hope in his heart. He knew he wouldn't find Tarzan or Jane here in the Deep Jungle but somewhere on this world was the cure to his muteness and if there was something he was longing for, something he could actually attain without a doubt, it was that.

With Yuna safely dropped off in a lab near the sickbay, and following a rendezvous with Tifa and Red, Sora found himself standing outside, sweating in the tight heat of the Deep Jungle. The air, full of the scents of the exotic plant-life that surrounded him and the others on all sides, was so heavy at times Sora felt breathless and struggled a little to breathe at an easy, regular rhythm.

"Damn, I'd forgotten how hot this place was!" Barret groaned, the sweat actually raining off his bulky frame as he helped Tifa carry three rucksacks off the ship, each one containing water and other essential supplies as well as the proper equipment for harvesting the herb Red and Yuna needed to create Sora's cure.

Crewmembers were already hurrying off the ship, the men shirtless and the women rolling up sleeves and trouser legs in an effort to stay cool. They were busy tugging tree branches and flowers over the Highwind, creating a natural hanger bay around it to conduct their work in shade and hidden from prying eyes. By Sora's reckoning the ship had landed in what had once been Jane's camp but any sign of the tent and supplies had gone.

"Barret, you stay here and get everyone in a good routine. Make sure no one works more than two hour shifts without stopping for rest and water," Tifa directed with the ease of a natural leader, pulling off her jacket and tying it around her waist. "Red, you're with me and Sora."

Red whimpered, and Sora, who was pulling a black canvas bag onto his back, was ever so slightly taken aback by such a sound coming from the proud beast. "I hate this heat…"

"Yeah, yeah, it dries your nose out but I need you to identify the plant."

Red made a face that looked almost like a pout but before he could complain further, Zidane called out from behind and everyone turned to see him jog over from the ship's ramp. "I'm coming too," he said. "And don't tell me I'm not Tifa 'cause I've been going stir crazy. Look, my bandage has gone and the doc gave me an all clear."

"I dunno…" Tifa said. "Four people is kind of a crowd…"

"What are you talking about? Four is perfect! And you know how heavily populated this world is by the Heartless. We're lucky we haven't spotted any yet."

"Let the kid go," Barret said. A wicked grin tugged his mouth. "The jungle's the perfect place for a monkey anyway."

Zidane dropped into an offensive position, knees bent and arms held out and ready to grab his daggers at any given second. "What did you say? You wanna repeat that!"

"Just be careful," Tifa said, her mouth stern but her eyes sparkling with restrained laughter. "And don't forget to…"

"Take defensive precautions. Don't worry. Jus' get goin' already."

"Call me on the PHS if anything happens!"

"Gotcha. Go!"

Red led the way out of what Sora still thought of as the camp area towards the odd little clearing where hippos had once bathed lazily in the lagoon. "Now by my reckoning the herb we're looking for should be located in a high up, shaded area. It'll look a little like a Sylkis Green…don't worry about it Sora, I know what I mean…only instead of it being green it'll be closer to a yellow. And we absolutely must not pick any that are purple. In fact we must all do our best to not even so much as touch one that's purple."

"Why not?" Zidane asked, second in line and hacking branches and bushes out of the way.

"Touching one could result in a nasty fever. Picking it or any other form of prolonged contact and you're looking at serious illness if not death. The toxin it carried, like powder on it's leaves, would get into your bloodstream through the skin and from there find their way to your stomach and cause all kinds of nasty things."

"Things so foul you can't utter them?"

"Worse."

"Okay…You know you should go into theatre Red. You've got a gift for drama."

Red sighed heavily. "Just don't pick anything."

"Understood."

It didn't take too much longer after that little discussion for Deep Jungle to live up to its name as Heartless infested. Still on the heavily forested path between the camp and the lagoon, a breeze that heralded from the depths of winter drifted over the party and all were instantly on their guard.

"Anyone got a visual?" Tifa demanded, her eyes roaming the dark forest all around her.

Keyblade in hand, Sora, who was third in line, stepped up to where Red was. Pulling his arm back, he tossed the Keyblade in a low-level Strike Raid and cleared the remaining foliage between them and the lagoon. And there the Heartless were, five in total, standing on the edge of the path as it opened up onto the lagoon.

Not wasting a moment, Sora ran for them, catching the Keyblade halfway. As he sprinted forwards he noted that these Heartless were the first non-human shaped he'd come across. In fact all of them were shaped like animals. The largest three appeared to be like the gorillas he and his friends had fought to save from the Heartless before. The other two, probably leopards, were smaller but no less dangerous looking. All the Heartless shared the same dullness in colour as their humanoid counterparts but there was something more feral about them and as they tore forward to attack Sora, he knew that these were probably the most dangerous he'd come across…except Jasmine, Cinderella and Aurora.

The largest Heartless came first but Sora was instantly locked in a pincer attack as a leopard-type jumped over Sora and his opponent and attacked from behind. Sora skidded out of the way, pushing the Keyblade into the gorilla's midsection in a sideways slash before bringing it about in a sharp crescent to catch the leopard's underbelly as it took a flying swat at him. While the leopard was down Sora quickly performed a half-twisting somersault over its prone body and landed behind it, once again placing all his enemies firmly in his sights.

The lead Heartless shoved the leopard out of its path and came barrelling towards Sora once again, paws clenched together and raised to deliver a devastating blow. Planting his feet firmly, Sora held the Keyblade at either end and caught the impact in the dead centre, its power skittering up his arms. Rocking forward and throwing the Heartless off-balance, Sora jumped and with a flick of his wrist brought the Keyblade crashing into the gorilla's jaw, sending it reeling backwards. He pressed his advantage further, falling into his usual stance before bringing the Keyblade down onto the Heartless' shoulder in an overhead blow, pulling back slightly only to thrust it forward into the chest, left into the leg and feinting to the upper left before lashing out to the right. Kicking out just in time to halt one of the leopards that covered its leader's left flank before catching its twin on the right with a roundhouse, Sora ran at the gorilla who was just about to fully regain it's footing, bringing the Keyblade up for a final volley. Rolling between it's outspread feet, Sora regained his own footing before turning a pirouette and ramming the Keyblade into the Heartless' oddly soft body, burying half of it in the gorilla-like creature's body. Pausing only for a single breath, Sora ripped his weapon free, blood like ice washing over his hands as his first opponent collapsed and sank into the ground, dead.

His four remaining opponents leapt at him all at once but Sora was ready for such a foolhardy tactic. Thundaga stabbed into all four Heartless and Sora turned to the leopards first, intending to finish them off before the other gorillas. They moved like one, coming at Sora from each side. Casting a hurried Stopga on them, he took out the one on the left who he had injured earlier with Ars Arcanum before swinging around and killing it's mirror image with the skill's final blows.

Faced with only two more opponents, Sora didn't even stop to catch his breath. Leaping forward, his feet barely touching the ground as he covered the distance, he got three blows delivered on the second gorilla Heartless before landing and sending it flying with a well-aimed Firaga blast, turning to the third and final Heartless gorilla. Hitting high, low, left, high again, Sora's blows were randomly placed so quickly the Heartless didn't have the chance to defend itself. Noticing out the corner of his eye that the gorilla number two was steam-rolling its way back towards him, Sora jumped high and aimed the Keyblade at Heartless gorilla number three's head. At the final possible moment Sora pull back and turned a circle, slitting the Heartless throat and rewarding himself with an ice-cold shower as the Heartless stumbled back and sank into the ground along with its companions. The final enemy met its death almost as an afterthought on Sora's part who pointed the Keyblade without looking and cast Graviga, moving only to take out the last vestiges of its life with a blow to the chest.

It was only when all fell quiet, when the blood stopped rushing through Sora's ears and the sounds of hot breeze in the leaves reminded him that, actually, he wasn't alone. Turning back to Tifa, Red and Zidane he found all of them in a state of amazement. Making a face that stated _'was giving me a hand that hard_?', Sora let the Keyblade dissolve away.

"Let's keep moving," Red said presently, walking forward. "Nice work Sora."

Zidane walked over and playfully punched him in the shoulder. "That was amazing to watch. What a hero! You must have all the girls falling at your feet."

Tifa was the last and she enveloped Sora in a hug. Surprised, he made no effort to pull away or return the favour.

"I knew there was a true fighter's spirit in you," she whispered into his ear. "Don't forget it again. Nothing can stand in your way."

Releasing him, she winked and walked on, leaving Sora blushing with a mixture of pride and embarrassment to bring up the rear of their herb-hunting expedition.

Sora couldn't help but grin to himself. It felt great to feel somehow more complete, like he'd rediscovered something within himself that had been previously lost. If he could keep it up he knew everything would work out fine. Deep down inside there was a light that never went out and it was that light that would help him through this new adventure and see him help Riku, protect Kairi and find Donald and Goofy safe and sound.

Yes, for the first time Sora suddenly didn't feel so full of doom and gloom. There was a light to be found here too.

"Come on Super Boy!" Zidane hollered from up ahead. "Us ladies are gonna need your protection!"

With a real smile, Sora hurried to catch up.


	18. Chapter 18

All the Roads We Have To Walk: Chapter Eighteen

What had once been a tropical lagoon complete with bathing hippos was now so foul in stench and so dangerous in colour it could barely be thought of as the same place. Sora's nose wrinkled as the acidic lagoons came into view, their once crystalline waters now a deep shade of reeking green. Plants had dipped their roots into the rancid pools and their barks and leaves had become fused with deep veins of sickly colours.

"As much as you stink Sora," Zidane commented, "I'm not sure shoving you in that would make things any better."

"You'd probably kill him," was Red's dry retort.

Sora merely edged a little further back from the water, looking at the others warily as if he thought they really would grab him and dunk him in. It wasn't like he wanted to have the stink of Monstro clinging to him but what choice did he have?

"Besides, soon enough we'll all stick so much Sora will just fade into the background stench," Red added with something resembling a very toothy grin.

"This is one bad trip," Tifa muttered, looking over the scene with an unsettled expression, as if she hadn't even heard the conversation held by the guys.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news…" Red began, his grin fading back into his usual serious expression.

"You love it and you know it," Zidane butted in.

"…But we have to cross all of this."

"This day just keeps getting better and better…"

"You chose to come along Zidane. You could've stayed behind, basking in the sun…" Tifa observed calmly but her lips were smiling broadly.

"More like being forced into slavery by Barret on a power trip…" Zidane retorted. "So Red, you haven't managed to shove any bridge building equipment in our packs have you?"

"Well…I hadn't really considered this eventuality…But I'm sure we can find a suitable solution to our current problem…"

"I'm sorry, back up. Did you just say you hadn't thought of this?"

Sora ignored the rest of the argu…discussion… between Red and Zidane, walking to the edge of one pool and pondering on various methods of crossing without touching the stagnant water. He could see tiny insects dancing on its surface, buzzing merrily. An old memory stirred in his mind, reminding him of the time he'd received a sting from one of Destiny Islands nastier bugs when he was twelve. Aside from making him physically sick for a few days, his arm had swollen up for well over a week, leaving him stuck indoors because he couldn't row his boat. It was an experience Sora had absolutely no desire to repeat, period. He had a feeling that if the plants in the Deep Jungle were poisonous, the bugs were probably their equally dangerous comrades.

A cold breeze danced across the surface of the pool, sending the bugs zapping away. There were more Heartless nearby although for now there didn't appear to be any in the immediate vicinity. But no sooner had that knowledge flitted into his mind did another thought sweep it away and with it the Keyblade sprung into his hand. A few well-aimed Blizzaga's later and Sora had successfully recreated Tifa's Ice3 bridges from Agrabah.

The party was forced to run across the slippery, uneven platforms because despite being a few seconds old they were already melting in the sweltering heat. Tifa combined her magic with Sora's and their bridges managed to last a little longer but Zidane, who was bringing up the rear, still found himself leaping across the last few metres to dry land as the ice thawed beneath his feet.

"That was too close," he muttered, scraping the toecaps of his boots clean on the grass.

"Nice thinking," Red complimented with a bow of his head and Sora gave a 'forget about it'shrug in return. "Now we have another slight…"

Tifa cut in with a warning. "Heartless!"

The Heartless that fell from the trees were like monkeys, similar to the Powerwild's Sora was familiar with. Only these six weren't creations of Ansem. No, these were the real thing only they were now Heartless. A couple hit the water, the chill of their bodies creating slats of ice that managed to survive the hot water. Ignoring them, Sora went for the nearest that had landed by the vines that led up into the forest canopy. The Keyblade sang through the air, it's deadly blows landing with targeted ease on the head, the chest and the legs, taking the Heartless out in one swift combo.

Zidane had targeted another, his double-bladed attacks unleashed in twisting, rapid grace that looked energetic but employed such an economy that nothing was wasted. Tifa's blows, aiming lower than usual due to her opponent's lack of stature, ended with such force that the Heartless that came into contact with her feet were sent flying from one end of the lagoon to the other, crashing into tree barks and seeping into the ground. Red, despite his dislike of heat, had torn through the Heartless that leapt off their icy platforms and into his claws.

All in all the battle had lasted a short few minutes and by the time it was over, everyone was sweating but ready to move on swiftly. "Let's hope we keep meeting groups as weak as that," Zidane commented, grabbing a vine and tugging it hard to make sure it held. "So, time for some upward mobility."

"Yes," Red said.

He then hesitated. Zidane blinked a few times while Sora and Tifa looked between the pair, waiting for one or the other to speak.

"Oh."

"Yes."

"What?" Tifa demanded.

"Red can't climb a vine."

"Oh."

"Yes."

Sora cocked his head, thinking. Couldn't they just…

"We'll just have to carry you I guess," Zidane answered.

Sora shook his head. He'd thought of it first! He just…hadn't been able to say it is all…

"Great, that's all I need, your furry body on my back like a winter coat. If I die of heat stroke Tifa, you'd better take revenge on him for my untimely death."

"Just help Red out. We need to get moving before more Heartless come."

"Give us a hand Sora," Zidane requested, crouching down to allow Red easier access.

Red held his nose high, eyes closed in a look of reluctant acceptance as Sora stood by to give him a boost. Leaping up, Red grabbed Zidane's back, Sora shoving his hind legs up a little further so that Red was effectively curled around Zidane's torso. Sora found himself grinning widely, laughing without a sound. Zidane looked like some kind of hump-backed mutant, right out of the horror stories Riku had always been far too keen on telling to Sora when they were little. How often had he awoken his poor mother, crying about monsters beneath his bed? Too many for sure.

The association immediately wiped out the glee. Sora swallowed hard, his mind quick to leap from happy childhood to recent pain.

"You can't save me."

"You ready to climb Sora?" Tifa called. "We'll go first. The last thing we need is for Zidane and Red to fall on top of us."

"Yeah, because this genius is so heavy," Zidane said with a strained voice. "Fatty! Lose some weight."

The mental image of the bodily pile up was enough to restore some of Sora's smile and the memories were locked away again in the corner of his mind reserved for the pains he spent almost every day regretting. Taking the lead, Sora was quick to climb his way to the top. He didn't stop at the vines but clambered all the way to the area Tarzan had always called the Climbing Trees because the trees here were so old and strong that it was almost as though they had been walking on the ground and not among branches and leaves. Well, the strength of the amazing trees remained but what once been luminous green was now fraught with the same bright, poisonous colours that had characterised the roots dipped into the lagoons.

"Tifa, pink panties don't seem to suit you…a black thong maybe…"

"ZIDANE!"

"What! Is it my fault that one: you are wearing a very short skirt and two: that I happen to be beneath you? Come on, you are literally shoving temptation in my face."

When she reached the top, Tifa stood waiting for Zidane to arrive. He hung back a little, letting Red climb off first with a helping, dragging hand from Sora. Zidane agilely jumped the rest of the way, landing dangerously close to a very irked Tifa. The two eyed each other and Sora, fearing an actual fight between the two, nudged Red into breaking it up.

"Oh…er…yes, come on everyone let's move out. The grove where we'll find the herb is very close by."

Red walked on and Zidane was quick to follow, not daring to speak a word that might further enrage Tifa. The woman in question took a few moments to compose herself, breathing deep until the blush had faded from her sweat-damp cheeks.

"Oh, Sora, I have something for you," she said when she realised he was waiting for her. She reached into a pocket in her waist-bound jacket and pulled out an orb of Materia. "It's Ultima. I want you to have it back. It's yours. I'm sorry I acted the way I did. It's just…" she trailed off and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her smile and eyes growing distant. "It's just the last time I saw Materia like this, it was in the possession of someone very special to me. Someone I lost to the Heartless."

Sora placed his hand over hers, taking the Materia almost reverently. He mouthed a sincere 'thank you' and placed Ultima in his pocket where he always kept the Oathkeeper keychain even though it no longer seemed to work.

He and Tifa were just catching up with Red and Zidane when another wave of Heartless descended upon them, falling through the trees above and tumbling out of the natural arches that led to the Tree House and to the Treetops. They were a mixture of monkeys and gorillas; the leopards apparently didn't have the ability to climb these trees.

The monkey brand of the Heartless were dealt with as easily and as quickly as before. Zidane, attacking the Heartless before the others had even fully realised what was happening, had dealt with the monkey Heartless alone, each creature that flailed toward him succumbing to his daggers as they skated through the air. However, up here the three gorillas seemed to have gained extra strength and had taken to tactics of leaping into the branches and vines above in order to come raining down with a very painful bump as Red had found out after finding himself pinned under the Heartless bulk. Sora aimed the Keyblade and shot out a quick blast of Firaga, knocking the Heartless askew slightly before heaving it all the way off Red with a twisting blow.

"Thanks," Red said before pouncing on the Heartless, a blur of slashing claws.

Sora barely managed to move out the way as his own personal gorilla assailant plummeted from above, huge feet first and gigantic fists clenched, poised ready to deliver a skull-crushing blow. The punch missed Sora by a mere inch, hot air tickling his cheek in its place. He ducked low and swung the Keyblade high, switching hands at the arc's apex to pour a little more speed into his slash. The Key's tip gouged a hole in the Heartless' chin but this jungle resident wasn't easily fooled and, apparently unfazed by it's gaping wound, thrust out the flat of it's paw, catching Sora in the chest and sending him flying a good five metres. Crashing first into brittle, stabbing branches before gravity pushed him down flat on his face, Sora lay breathlessly stunned for a moment, feeling blood trickling down his back and staining his torn clothes. The site of the blow felt as though a sheet of ice had fused to his skin, the chill throbbing with each heart beat, the pain burying itself and pulling back only to repeat the process over and over with each passing second. He cast a hurried Curaga from the ground and the stings on his back and pain in his chest subsided dramatically.

Before he could pick himself up, the gorilla did it for him, picking him up by the scruff of his neck. Seeing that enormous fist poised for his face, Sora swung his legs up and wrapped them around the Heartless' chunky arm, forcing the gorilla to let him go to avoid a broken wrist. Pushing off the Heartless' arm with his hands, Sora managed to plant his feet on his enemy's shoulders, holding the Keyblade high above its head. He somehow managed to distance his mind from the sickening crunch as his weapon pierced the skull and things deeper below. As Sora leapt off it's falling body he couldn't help but wonder how these Heartless could seem ghostly and yet so real. They could walk through walls, have bodies that seemed to be lacking solidity and yet when it came to a fight they punched with the force of a thousand fists and bled freer than Sora himself ever had.

Sora shook off his thoughts long enough to see how his companions were doing. Red had just taken care of his attacker and was casting a quick Cure3 spell on himself (why the different name for the same spell? Couldn't everyone just call it Curaga and keep things simple?). Tifa and Zidane had joined forces to take out the third gorilla, ducking, weaving, attacking and defending in perfect tandem. The gorilla that was always stumbling backwards finally fell, literally, when the pair forced it back to the hole in the canopy they had all climbed through. It fell all the way back to the lagoon, it's body heavy enough to shake leaves off trees in mock tribute to it's death.

"Is it definitely dead?" Tifa asked, peering cautiously down.

"Shoot it with a spell just to make sure," Zidane said, sheathing his daggers.

"Lighting3!"

It was definitely dead after that, it's body fading away and burying itself in the ground.

"No time to stop," Red said primly. "We're almost there." He pointed with his right front paw to the darkened archway that led to the Treetops. "Up there."

"Let's have a quick break," Tifa replied, pulling her water-filled canteen out of her pack. "Here," she handed a specially modified flask to Red that had a special lid he could lift with his teeth and seal likewise. "No point us all getting dehydrated and a quick break won't hurt."

Sora gulped the water down. He toyed with the idea of tipping the remained over his head but he figured it wouldn't help the stench or the dirt as he still had to seal the Keyhole in the caves behind the waterfall. He took a careful sniff of his clothes and vowed to fumigate them as soon as possible. At least the others had stopped complaining about it - he could smell them from where he sat anyway.

Five minutes of silence ensued but Red, impatient to be on the move, ordered them onwards. The route, when they all looked at it, seemed incredibly obvious. Framed as it was by the lethal purple plants ("Oh, they're called the Nandero Herb - the deadly ones I mean," Red helpfully pointed out), the path shone out like a beacon. And while Sora and Zidane leapt up to the ledge and turned to give Tifa a hand, Red clambered up the tree in the centre of the Climbing Trees area and jumped over to the ledge, coming to land just as Tifa was heaved up. Sora, Zidane and Tifa stood so utterly stock still, keeping their arms and legs as close to their torsos as possible, that they looked like wooden mannequins. When they did finally move, spurred on by Red's "move it!" and "mind that plant!" comments, they edged forward as if standing on the crumbling edge of an abyss.

"That plant" happened to be everywhere in the Treetops. The foursome huddled together despite their sweat-drenched bodies, avoiding the herb that grew from the bushes on all sides, above their heads and even sprouted from the ground. Not moving, all four peered around for the yellow herb which, as Sora discovered and alerted Red to by a tap on the shoulder and a pointed had, was on the other side of the field of flowers, captive in a cluster of purple. The single sprout of yellow grew next to the opening that led down to the old Tunnel and Tarzan's log ride, (Sora had thought of it as that from the first time he'd slid down it), the fastest way back to camp and the ship…

"Well that's just perfect ain't it?" Zidane grumbled. "Anyone got any bright ideas?"

"We could burn a path…" Tifa suggested.

"Absolutely not! Doing that would produce a deadly airborne toxin!" Red shot her idea down mercilessly. "Didn't I say that already? I can't remember…well anyway, don't even think it!"

If it was possible, Tifa huddled closer to Sora. "Well what then? We fly?"

 _"Fly, Sora! Just believe, and you can do it!"_

Sora's eyes widened. Why hadn't he thought of it before? Why hadn't he even tried it before now? Could he still do it? He hadn't tried in a while but… yeah, of course he could. But talk about a trial by fire… Sora took a few steps back, parting the others with gentle shoves.

"So, what's the plan Sora?"

He jumped as high as he could and, with ease and glee, stretched out his body and glided easily through the air. He couldn't help but grin as explosive surprise broke out from the others. He'd forgotten how great this felt…and how weird a sight it had to be from below.

Carefully aiming his landing, Sora landed on tiptoes, his right foot perilously close to a purple herb but his left he quickly shifted so it was balancing on a tree, his legs forming an inverted L-shape. Between them lay the prize - a yellow herb that was the only one in the whole field.

"You need to pull it right out. Don't worry about the roots, just give it a good yank and bring it back," Red guided from behind.

Sora looked back, the distance minimal but somehow feeling as if between him and the others a whole world stood in the way. Returning to the task, he carefully leaned over and reached for the plant, earning a tense gasp when his body wobbled ominously.

"Don't do that!" Zidane burst out.

Sora twisted his head back enough to offer a cocky grin, his hand still reaching for the yellow herb.

"Watch out! That's a purple plant! Purple!" Red hollered, causing Sora to halt violently, his balance trembling on the brink even more.

"Oh, I can't watch!" Tifa cried out, clamping her hands over her eyes.

Sora took a deep breath as he finally steadied himself once more. Focusing on the task at hand, he reached down and plucked the innocuous herb with surprising ease. For all the trouble it had taken to get up to the Treetops, the damn thing could have at least put up a slightly more impressive fight…

"Okay, now just make your way back very carefully," Red said slowly, as if the care Sora had to take applied to him as well. "We'll get back to the Highwind and sort all this out."

Sora then gestured to the tunnel's pathway. He wasn't entirely sure if everyone would enjoy the log ride as much as he always did but it sure beat returning via the lagoon and all other Heartless infested areas.

"What's down there?" Tifa asked. "We've got all we need, let's go back."

"Oh, wait, what about the Keyhole?" Zidane asked.

Sora shook his head. That was elsewhere, as he tried to mime with his hands. Well it was the last time he had sealed it. He kind of hoped that Deep Jungle's Keyhole, like Agrabah's hadn't moved either.

"So what is it?"

Sora tried to think of a way to tell them but his mind drew a frustrating blank. Shrugging it off, he waved at the others and deciding the only way to show them was to actually go, he headed off down the pathway and waited for the others to follow.

The Tunnel hadn't changed much at all. The purple Nandero Herb clung to the wall in sporadic patches but the place remained relatively untouched. Green was still the predominant colour, the constant sounds of the forest were dulled out and the air was somehow cooler just as it always had been. Sora climbed quickly down the natural steps and took a closer look at the log that led down to the slippery trees… All looked safe and deadly-herb free. He walked a circle around it just to get the best view and to make absolute sure his shortcut wasn't a death plunge.

"This is a bad idea!" Tifa's voice floated from above.

"Ugh, and again I insist that you lose weight Red!"

"Shut up."

"Do you want me to drop you?"

"Red are you sure the poison won't seep through our shoes?"

"Yes."

"You didn't sound entirely positive."

"Trust me, I am."

"You better be."

"Zidane stop being so…so…"

"What?"

"Antagonising," Tifa concluded.

Their voices were suddenly above him and Sora stepped out from behind the log and waved them down. Red indicated he wanted the herb placed in a sealed tube that Tifa produced from her backpack.

"So, what's the plan?" Zidane said, crouching down slightly to let Red off his back. "I'm not really seeing anything…"

Sora grinned and pointed at the log ride's opening.

"What's down there?" Red asked, peering cautiously but not really knowing what he was meant to be looking at.

' _The best ride of your life_ ' was what Sora wanted to stay but instead he resorted to walking up the short plank that led to the log ride and jumped, expecting the others to follow him.

Sliding down the mossy tree, with the wind blowing through his hair and his speed increasing with each second, Sora could forget just for a little while that beyond this there was something monumental waiting for him. Sometimes all he needed for just a little while was to be a normal fifteen-year-old, seeing as since his fourteenth year life had been anything but average. But the moment was lost when the Keyblade materialised in his hand to hack through the other branches and assorted foliage that was in his way.

"This is such a bad idea in a skirt!"

"I'm not looking!"

"I know that! You are in front of me…"

"Sora, I assure you that if I break any of my legs you will remain a mute!"

Although, if having a destiny meant having lots of great friends, perhaps it wasn't so bad.

The log came to an end right above the Highwind so what had previously been a long jump turned into an easy landing on the hanger that had been rapidly erected over the ship, hiding it from the view of any unwanted eyes. He climbed down just as Zidane, with a thrilled whoop, landed neatly only to be thrown to the deck as Tifa and then Red fell quite neatly on top of him. Sora managed to get to the ground before doubling over in muted laughter that turned his muscles to jelly.

Red was the first to emerge, carefully picking his way down the scaffolding the ship's engineers were scrambling over like busy ants. Tifa followed shortly afterwards, brushing hair out of her eyes and failing to hide her smug grin. Zidane came down a few minutes later, looking both annoyed and embarrassed all at once.

"I'll go to the lab and meet Yuna," Red said, walking off as he spoke. "It shouldn't take long to create the cure."

"You want to take a break or shall we go for the Keyhole now?" Tifa asked, her hand swiping flies away from her face.

Sora pointed to the pathway that led, ultimately, to the Keyhole. The sooner it was sealed, the sooner he could come back to the ship and regain his speech.

"Do you know where it is?"

He nodded. Well, as long as it was still in that cave he knew where it was.

"Let's get moving," Zidane said, taking his lead from Sora's pointed finger.

Before they left, Sora took a quick look at the ship. It was already looking different - paint was being slapped all over it and sparks flew off of all kinds of powerful tools that worked on changing the ship's outer shell. Obviously altering the Highwind wasn't as easy as changing Gummi Ships around.

"So, does anyone know if we'll be having any meetings with other life-threatening flowers?" Zidane asked as Tifa and Sora fell into step with him.

"I forgot to ask Red…You'd think that would be the first thing on my mind," mused Tifa, tapping a finger to her lips. "Oh well, let's just avoid touching all purple plants."

"And anything else that looks dodgy."

"Good plan."

Sora slapped at a fly that landed on his shoulder, wincing in surprise as a tiny, needle-like prick jabbed the centre of his palm. Looking at the offended appendage, Sora watched as the body of the dead insect sunk through his hand and fell to the ground. Heartless insects? That was something new. He inspected his palm once again. Although there was a tiny red bump, nothing else seemed amiss. Looked like they wouldn't be too much trouble…

"Ugh, where did all these flies come from?" Tifa grumbled as they headed towards the bamboo thicket.

"Well this is a rainforest…"

"Don't start!"

…The bugs would just be yet another nuisance to get in their way before they got to the Keyhole.


	19. Chapter 19

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Nineteen

Donald and Goofy, after barely three days of talks and tearful reunions, were back aboard their Gummi Ship with a new mission - a mission that would hopefully reunite them with Sora.

"It's a shame Sora ain't with us now…"

"If he was we wouldn't be going there anyway so what difference would it make?"

"Aw, don't be such a spoilsport Donald."

"Yeah, yeah."

"I wonder how the King found out about all this."

"Who knows."

"D'you think this plan will really work?"

"We've got to try something."

"Yup - it sure feels good to be back on the road again!"

"Yeah, it does." Donald surprised himself. He was missing Daisy again terribly already but it did feel good to be doing something. "We can't leave Sora out here all alone 'cause there's no tellin' what kinda trouble that kid's getting himself in to."

"No tellin' what kinda trouble we're gonna get into when she finds out too y'know…"

Donald sighed. "I hope she doesn't try to beat us up."

"She'll probably wanna get going straight away."

"The sooner the better I guess. We dunno how long this is gonna take us. We don't even know if it's gonna work."

"Sure it will," Goofy said enthusiastically. "If we team up with Leon and the others too, we'll find Sora."

Donald reached for the engine ignition switch. "So…"

"Heh, heh, yup!"

"Blast off!"

The ship shot off once again into the depths of the Gummi-strewn space.

"Do we have a big can of bug spray anywhere?" Tifa growled, slapping off yet another fly as they trudged slowly through the squelching quagmire that was the path to the bamboo thicket.

Sora tugged on her hand, placing a hand over his heart and hoping she'd get the message.

She didn't. "You need a break?"

He shook his head and tried again, patting his chest and pointing at the flies.

"You swallowed one?"

He flopped over, sighing.

"Wait…wait…"

Had Zidane figured it out?

"You've got heartburn?"

He felt like falling over from the shock, he really did. He grabbed fistfuls of hair, trying to work through the frustration.

"Oh! OH!"

"Seriously, Red better have this potion thingy sorted by the time we get back…What is it Tifa?"

"I've got it!"

"Spit it out then."

"The flies are Heartless!"

He could've hugged her…glomped her even, as Kairi had once done to him.

"Heartless?" Zidane asked, peering at the specks that flitted around him. "But they're tiny!"

"Yeah but absolutely anyone or anything with a heart can become a Heartless," Tifa replied, trudging on. "I guess it makes sense."

"Have you seen anything like this before Sora?" Zidane asked, taking up the middle position in their line.

Sora gave a negative. He'd seen a lot of crazy things in his time as the Keyblade Master (a title he absolutely detested being called) but Heartless flies were something equally new to him. But if there were Heartless flies, what other kinds of Heartless could there now be? Heartless fish? Heartless mice? Heartless Moogles? How awful!

"Heads up!" Tifa suddenly called out. "We got bigger problems to deal with."

The bamboo thicket was home to a pack of Heartless leopards, five in total. Sora ran forward as fast as he could through the mud, Keyblade raised to meet the leader of the pack that was poised to attack him while Zidane and Tifa took off to the right and left.

Green magic flashed in Tifa's hands as she ran. "Wall!"

Shields - one for physical attacks, the other for magic - wrapped around Sora just as the Heartless' claws ripped across his chest, tearing his clothes and thin strips of skin. Wincing at the sudden stinging, Sora fell back briefly. The Heartless pressed its advantage, following up its slash with a flying tackle that sent Sora smacking painfully into the ground, covering his back in gluey mud.

 _Sorry, I don't have any handy tips for you this time. You're on your own._

Remembering in a flash how Tarzan had dealt with Sabor, Sora thrust the grubby Keyblade out in time to catch the Heartless' flashing jaws. Sitting up, ignoring the wrench of his abdominal muscles, Sora threw all his weight into pushing the leopard back far enough so he could assume the offensive. Pulling himself up out of the slurping mud, he prepared to move.

Tifa had quickly switched from defensive magic to deadly assault. When another Heartless had performed the same tackling tactic to knock her over, she put an end to it's ambitions with a high roundhouse and a rapid twisting reverse kick to follow up. Stunned, the Heartless hit the ground and stayed down while it tried to shake the stars from it's head. One eruption of Quake3 later and Tifa was moving on to the next Heartless that was coming her way.

Zidane found himself wishing that he'd switched his daggers for his double-ended Ultima Weapon. That way he would've dealt with the pincer attack he was locked in to with ease. As it stood, he already had a very unwelcome trio of bleeding gashes on his back and almost received another set on across his face before he flipped over backwards, catching the outstretched leopard's underbelly and, planting his hands in the mud, managed to kick it into it's companion. The pair landed in a writhing heap of legs and tails that Zidane set upon, blades up and flashing, hands checking for anything worthy of being stolen in between the jabs and slashes.

Sora, now free to move as he pleased, covered the distance between himself and his opponent with a spinning leap, the Keyblade gaining momentum and power that crashed into the leopard's jaw with a crunch. Blood and teeth spurted in the air and Sora kept pounding on, the Keyblade as light as a feather as he wielded it. The Heartless tried to fight back, stood up on its hind paws and swatted left, right, but to no avail. The Keyblade, at the end of Sora's trademark string of combo blows, finished it off; his over-the-shoulder leaping hack cutting deep into it's body and wiping out what remained of it's strength. In a pool of blood it sank into the hungry ground.

Together Tifa and Sora descended upon the fifth and final leopard. Tifa hung back slightly while Sora took it upon himself to launch a full frontal assault, using Sonic Blade to skim through the mud. Side-stepping a hook from the left, Sora caught the right on the Keyblade. Kicking the Heartless back, he brought the Keyblade down from above his head, taking out a chunk of flesh from the leopard's back before Tifa summoned an attack from her Yellow Materia.

"Enemy Skill: Aqualung!"

Water bubbles swallowed the leopard from all sides, trapping it in their airless pools. Unable to get in close for an attack, Sora worked his way back a few paces before adding Thundaga to the solution. When the bubbles burst and the lightning was mere after-sight, the Heartless was gone, it's paw all that was left to be seen before it too sank away.

"Clear!" Zidane called, his victims nothing more but bloody memories.

"Ditto."

Letting the Keyblade return to it's hidden form, Sora took the lead. Eager to be clear of the thicket, Sora began to jog as best he could towards the Cliff, lifting his knees high to pull his feet free of the mud. Behind him, Tifa resumed her post as chief fly swatter and Zidane regained the middle ground, trudging after Sora and taking care to keep his tail held high because the last thing he wanted was for it to get mud-clogged and slow him down.

Once across the thicket, the path that led down to the Cliff was, at least, somewhat more solid, the mud no longer so clingy. Picking up the pace, Sora stepped out into the uneven landscape within a few brief minutes of leaving the thicket behind.

"It's good to see you again."

Sora stopped dead, causing Zidane and Tifa to pile into him from behind.

"It's alright, I know you can't answer me."

Forcing himself to walk slowly, Sora moved forward, getting closer to the cliff nearest the waterfall where Riku stood, a dangerous smile on his face.

"You seem to have such a talent of finding new pathetic lows."

 _So many questions. They burn within you._

"Who are you?" Tifa demanded. "What are you doing here?"

"When Sora's ready, he can tell you that himself," Riku replied. "But for now, here's another old friend who's just dying to see you again." He held out his hand, tendrils of dark smoke curling around his arm. "Play nice."

The darkness Riku wielded formed a portal and a human shadow emerged from it, pulling itself free of the oily bonds that had restrained it. The Heartless hit the ground and its distinct personality began to emerge. Walking forward with an undeniably arrogant swagger, the figure took up a spot between Riku and Sora, standing with its legs wide apart and holding a long weapon that was also steeped in darkness.

 _Bit of an improvement on the old Clayton, wouldn't you say?_

"Sora?" Tifa asked, looking sideways at the boy.

He shook his head, anguish tearing at his heart. Why was Riku doing this? Why? The only response Sora's pleading eyes received was a careless sneer before the silver-haired boy turned and walked away.

"Let's do this!" Zidane ran forward, blades poised for a cross-slash.

The past seemed superimposed over the present but Sora was as powerless to stop Zidane from being attacked by the invisible Stealth Sneak as he had when Tarzan had made the exact same mistake. Thwacked by the invisible force, Zidane found himself in a breathless heap and quite dazed.

The Heartless Clayton moved with inhuman grace and disappeared in a cloud of acrid smoke before reappearing on the lizard's back, appearing, to the uninformed eye, to be floating. Sora wasted no more time standing still, pushing Riku out his mind and focusing everything he had on defeating Clayton.

Tifa stayed back again, casting a Cure3 over Zidane before using the more powerful Shield spell on each of them. Spying a good vantage point higher up, she moved quickly to climb up to it, leaving Zidane and Sora to fight while she set about gaining them an advantage. Clayton saw her and took aim, his shots thankfully going wide.

"Watch out for that gun!" Tifa hollered, climbing as fast as she could to the outcrop's top.

Sora utilised his High Jump and, trusting that his feet would find the Stealth Sneak's back, went for the featureless Clayton. Using all the aerial attacks he could before he landed, Sora managed to score several powerful blows but as he was going in for the combo's final punch, Clayton ceased to be below him and his final blow landed on the Stealth Sneak. Sora managed to draw blood before it shrugged him off and moved again, leaving a trail of blood in it's wake that enabled Sora to chase after it.

Clayton re-materialised in front of Zidane who had regained enough of his senses to kick the hunter's weapon aside and make a pass at his face, which missed but nevertheless saw Zidane remain free of bullet wounds. Clayton apparently lost interest in his tailed opponent and returned to his place atop the Stealth Sneak, serving to create two easy targets.

"Dispel!"

With the sound of glass breaking, the invisibility spell around the large Heartless shattered just as Zidane and Sora found their target.

"Sora, give me a boost!"

Tifa was already calling another spell out of her Materia. "Stop!"

Clayton and the lizard held in place, Sora cupped his hands and crouched down. Zidane's booted foot found Sora's hands and with a little boost, jumped high enough to land a neat somersault on Clayton's head before jumping onto the Stealth Sneak's back. Rotating his weapons to a better angle, Zidane buried the daggers in the Stealth Sneak down to their hilts. Sora followed close behind, Clayton regained his movement just as Sora descended upon him, Ragnarok lifting his blows and Clayton through the air. But like before, Clayton fled Sora's last, most powerful blow. Unlike before, Clayton reappeared next to Tifa, gun held point-blank at her head.

Zidane pulled his weapons free of the lizard's body but he had no way to reach Tifa in time and Sora's Strike Raid lacked the energy to reach Clayton, the glowering Key instead diverting its attack back on the ailing Stealth Sneak.

Tifa grabbed the gun but it passed like coloured gas through her hand. Knowing she had no time left, she jumped off the cliff just as the gunshot ripped through the muggy air. Clayton had been an expert marksman and that talent hadn't been lost in transformation, the bullet slicing through Tifa's right calf. She landed with a sob of agony, crumpling instantly to the ground.

The bells of Sora's Curaga popped over her head but appeared to do little to ease her pain and leave Sora with enough magic reserves for only one more spell. Tifa didn't move and Clayton was already taking aim again.

"No!"

Bright fissures of pure white light burst out and for a moment Zidane seemed to cease to exist at Sora's side. But the light turned blue and joined the sky, bringing Zidane back in startling form; his body tinged in red light, his clothes replaced with feral markings and his face a furious vision of pure determination.

Clayton was about to rue the day.

Zidane's voice was a growl. "Grand Lethal."

Sora managed to throw himself over Tifa and wrap Aeroga around them as ferocious explosions surged over the cliffs, tossing Clayton and the Stealth Sneak around as if they were mere sticks in a riptide. The attack was over in mere seconds but Sora felt as though it had gone on for minutes, his ears still ringing with the sounds of raging fire. The sound of the Stealth Lizard wailing as it succumbed to death broke through the ringing. Sora stood and looked up, unable to raise the Keyblade in time to stop Clayton clubbing him round the side of the head as he barrelled down from above, blood gushing from countless spots on his body.

"I'm not done with you yet!"

Through his slightly spinning vision, Sora watched as Zidane smashed into Clayton with rage that seemed barely under control. Tifa managed to roll out of the way, grabbing her wounded leg as she moved. Sora returned to her side, keeping low to the ground and doing his best to stay on his feet despite his temporary lack of balance.

"Help Zidane," she said through gritted teeth. "I'm fine. Go! He'll run out of steam soon."

Zidane didn't appear to need any help. He was moving with speed Sora had never seen. Zidane's blows contained such force that Clayton was no longer able to stand up straight, the weight of each attack crushing more of his body. Every time the Heartless attempted to put some distance between them Zidane was on him in an instant, covering the ground with spectacular feats of gymnastic ability before seamlessly slipping into deadly attacks that seemed to come from all angles at once.

But Tifa proved to be prophetic and Zidane's movements came to a halt as the light gathered around him again.

"Take the Heartless out Sora!" Tifa ordered from behind.

Still lacking the energy to call upon any spells or abilities, Sora settled for a simple beating. Coming in from behind, his whirl technique knocked Clayton's gun off target before Sora rolled between the hunter's legs, hooking his own around Clayton's knees and, pulling hard, brought the Heartless crashing down to his backside. Spinning the Keyblade as if he was about to summon Mushu (who, like Sora's entire collection of summons, had returned to his world after the sealing of Kingdom Hearts), its jagged tip became a heart-piercing stake. More blood welled out of the solid shadow body and Clayton, without so much as a grunt, sank away, his body falling free of the stained Keyblade with a nasty crackling sound.

 _Clayton still no match for you? Oh well, I'm sure there are plenty more where he came from._

"That was unexpected."

Sora met Zidane's blue eyes, his own yelling 'ya think?' but knowing that only he had been taken aback by Zidane's…unusual…attacks.

"I've never seen a Heartless like…Oh, sorry! I forgot you've never seen that before have you?" The blond thief scratched the back of his head, grinning. "It's called Trance. Whenever I feel particularly…irked…in battle, all this energy just rushes through me. Tifa has something kinda similar called…Ah! Tifa!"

Forgetting the rest of his explanation, Zidane rushed to Tifa's side with Sora close behind. Both demanded to know if she was okay, Zidane quite vocally and Sora with his growing aptitude for expressions that spoke for themselves.

"It's not a pretty sight," Tifa hissed as she showed the wound. The bullet had passed right through and a nasty mixture of blood and dirt was caked all around the remaining hole. Sora's Curaga spell had stopped the bleeding and sealed it but it was still a source of immense pain and without proper treatment would in all probability become infected.

"Who was that guy?" Zidane asked.

"Yeah, who were both of them?" Tifa added.

Sora bit his lip hard, drawing blood. He wanted to tell them, he wanted them to know that something far more dangerous than simple Heartless attacks was going on but he couldn't. His silent prison closed in on him that much more, reawakening the frustration he had harboured in his heart since it had made itself known on Atlantica.

"Hey, don't worry about it. You can tell us later right?" Tifa said with a pinched smile. "Let's get the Keyhole sealed so we can get back to the ship."

"You're not going anywhere on that leg Tifa," Zidane replied. "Give me the PHS. We'll get someone to pick you up while Sora and I find the Keyhole."

Tifa did as Zidane asked and a very anxious Barret promised to be there himself within a few minutes. Sora meanwhile reached into Tifa's pack and pulled out her water canteen, handing it to her so she could sip it while waiting for Barret to arrive.

"Go on, get going," Tifa ordered after Sora and Zidane moved her into a slightly more comfortable position with her back up against one of the cliff walls. "I'll meet you back at the ship."

"Okay, we'll be as quick as we can."

Zidane walked off towards the waterfall but Sora hung back, his head bowed.

"It's not your fault Sora."

 _Ignore her, you know it is._

"I'll be fine, I promise."

 _True…but still, you shouldn't have let it happen. What have you been thinking? Your past is certainly doing its best to catch up with you. Clayton seemed familiar in more than one way, didn't he?_

"So cheer up, alright?"

Screwing up every ounce of optimism he could find within, Sora offered her a smile and nodded before turning and running after Zidane.

"Which way?" Zidane asked as Sora approached. "Up this cliff? Yeah? Alright then, you take the lead."

Sora was glad to see that the foliage was green and safe to grab and use for support as he worked his way up the cliff with ease. A stench was growing denser in the air as he climbed higher and when he reached the summit, Sora realised he wasn't quite free of the Deep Jungle's unpleasantness. The waterfalls were just like the lagoons, the water thick and stinking, oozing rather than flowing. He looked apprehensively to the caverns where the Keyhole rested, knowing that the smell was only going to get worse.

"This just keeps getting better and better huh?" Zidane commented as they entered the caverns side by side.

Sora gave a nod, his nose wrinkling in disgust. He couldn't think of a way to best describe the odour to himself. It wasn't quite as bad as the rot of Monstro but it was enough, when the wind blew in the wrong direction or a splash of water spattered on him, to bring tears to his eyes and an unpleasant curling within his stomach.

Fortunately, Sora's High Jump ability and Zidane's apparently natural talent for huge leaps enabled them to scale the cavern quickly despite it's slimy surfaces where the sludge of the water had created puddles. Memory served Sora well and he found the high-up entrance to the Cavern of Hearts with ease.

There was, of course, a hitch.

Herbs, purple herbs, had formed a mesh over the cavern's opening.

"Well, flying isn't gonna solve this problem," Zidane mused, earning himself a withering glare. "And Red said never use fire," he carried on, completely regardless. "We could try cutting them down but how we're going to do that without getting…"

The Keyblade appeared once again in the hand of a Sora who was somewhat at the end of his patience. Tired, hot, stinking and ready to get the hell off this damned world, Sora lobbed the Keyblade with all his natural strength at the herbs. His weapon sliced through them and clattered to the ground somewhere in the cavern. The hole the weapon had cut wasn't huge but it was enough. Sora went in sideways, holding his arms out to the sides and slipping through as carefully as possible. Zidane followed with equal concentration and made it through just as Sora scooped up the Key.

Thankfully there were no more hitches to be had. The Keyhole sparkled and glowed, the tip of the Keyblade responding likewise. Sora held it out and the beam of light shot out, the Keyhole locking with a resounding thud.

Sighing in relief, Sora allowed himself to feel more of the exhaustion that clouded around him. All he wanted to do now was go back to the ship, have a shower, sleep for a while and then see Red.

A pop and a clatter hastened his thoughts away. Something had fallen from the Keyhole. On the floor, a small box waited to be picked up and opened. Sora did so, finding in the familiar box a familiar slip of paper.

"What's this one say?" Zidane peered over Sora's shoulder.

Sora held the fragment open for Zidane to see as clearly as he could:

 _A burning hatred_

 _Rekindled only for one purpose:_

 _Bring about the death of one._

"Let's just worry about it when we get back to the ship," Zidane said, slipping the box into his rucksack. "I dunno about you but I'm ready to get out of here once and for all."

Sora rubbed his eyes wearily. Getting back to the ship seemed like the nicest idea possible and as he and Zidane slipped carefully out of the cavern and jumped back down the stinking rock-face, a smile tinged his features. He couldn't wait to feel clean again. His entire body was encrusted with grime that seemed to be weighing him down. The heat of the forest, so unlike the hot weather he had grown up in on Destiny Islands, had drained him. The call of a hot shower and a bed was getting louder as he and Zidane grew closer to the Highwind, the journey back a lot quicker thanks to the absence of Heartless.

And when the Highwind came into view, it barely resembled the ship the pair had left behind. The once sleek spacecraft had had a makeover no ship-lover would care for. Dents and been hammered into it, the silver metal had been coated in a rusty red and the portholes had all been smeared with oil and a given the yellowy tinge of age.

Galuf stood outside, chatting with a few engineers before he spotted Sora and Zidane trudging homewards. "Welcome back!" he called cheerfully, only earning a pair of tired waves in response. "Tifa passed on a message from Red. Apparently Red's not quite done with the cure yet so you've both got time for showers and…whoa, just go! Jeez!" He pinched his nose and waved his free hand in front of his face to clear the air. "Did you two go swimming in chocobo dung?"

"Funny Galuf," Zidane said as he followed Sora up the ship's ramp. "Real funny."

Sora dumped his backpack unceremoniously the moment he was onboard the ship. Zidane had the presence of mind to hand the box to a nearby crewmember with the instructions to take it to Red before dropping his now useless pack as well. Sora's mind had settled upon a single track: shower. Hot shower. Hot shower for hours. Hot shower, hot shower, hot shower. He didn't even notice the grumbles of disgust as his odorous body passed by innocent bystanders, bringing tears to their eyes. Hot shower. He was even starting to forget Zidane was standing by him in the lift as they descended to the crew quarters level. Hot shower. He barely noted the friendly technician who mentioned Tifa had ordered him to leave fresh towels and clothes out for Sora and Zidane. Hot shower. In the shower block he almost forgot to remove his own clothes in his haste but Zidane grabbed him by the shoulder and mentioned that his clothes didn't need washing, they needed burning. But once that was done, Sora was finally being doused in the warmest, cleanest water he'd seen since…well it had been quite a while. He washed himself from head to foot, the soapy water that was disappearing down the plughole an unhealthy brown for at least the first fifteen minutes. In fact, it didn't run off his body clear for a good half an hour, by which point he'd finally finished washing his hair.

A grand total of an hour and twenty minutes later, Sora emerged from the shower block clad in a simple grey T-shirt and blue dungarees, a lazy smile of tired satisfaction on his boyish features. His boots had disappeared with the rest of his old clothes, leaving his bare feet to freeze on the metal floor. But he didn't care. Ah, hot shower.

Zidane and Yuna were waiting for him, passing the time by playing a game of Tetra Master, which, Sora was secretly pleased to see, Yuna was losing. It was only then, his need for a shower sated, that Sora remembered Red had been hard at work creating an antidote.

"Oh, there you are Sora!" Yuna said cheerfully, forgetting the game. "Let's go."

Yuna and Zidane led him to the medical lab where Red and the cure waited. Once there, Sora was directed to a padded leather seat that, rather ominously, had a sterile white bucket placed in front of it. Red was seated behind a worktop in the middle of the room. He was surrounded by odd bits of paper, tons of glass test tubes, flasks and weird curly straws and a something that resembled a miniature metal chimney with a tube running out the bottom and fire quietly blazing at the top. Sora had never seen anything like it and shoved a note into his "Questions to be Asked When Voice is Back" mental folder.

"Yuna, would you like to give this to Sora?"

"Um…" the girl looked at her feet. "Um…y-yes. Coming Mr. Red."

The lab's door slid open and Tifa, as clean and freshly dressed as Sora, hobbled in on a pair of crutches. Her black trousers reminded Sora of Tidus' bizarre obsession with pants that had one leg shorter than the other. Tifa's wounded leg was clad in the shorter part, the thick bandage making up for the lack of material. Zidane spoke quietly to her before slipping out the room, calling a quick "Good luck!" to Sora as he went.

"Excited?" she asked Sora with a smile as he took his seat.

In response he waggled his hand. In truth he felt surprisingly emotionless about the whole thing and kind of wished he'd spent less time in the shower and more time catching up on some sleep. He had to admit though, the bucket had set a few alarm bells buzzing softly at the back of his mind.

"A bit nervous? Don't worry, Red and Yuna know what they're doing."

"Here you go." Yuna handed Sora a small glass that was filled almost to the brim with a bright, thick yellow liquid. "I'm…um…just going to…um…" The girl hurried to the back of the room.

Red stepped up to Sora, his expression somewhere between clinical and sympathetic. "Just knock it back and remember the bucket."

Sora's stomach took a decidedly large flip-flop as he eyed the glass suspiciously, a frown working it's way onto his forehead. He poked the glass, as if expecting something to burst out of it and attack him.

"It's the only way," Red said, sounding apologetic.

Taking a deep breath that stirred up the flutters of nerves in his stomach, Sora downed the entire liquid in three rapid gulps. His frown softened into a look of pleasant surprise. The juice had actually tasted quite sweet, tickling his tongue before leaving his mouth tingling and delving down his throat.

At Red's nod, Tifa managed to bend down and pick the bucket up. She handed it to Sora and as his hands took hold of it, the feeling began. His stomach felt like a lead weight had been thrust into it and was now stomping merrily around. Heat flushed over him from head to toe and as a chill settled it's creeping fingers over his neck and shoulders, his stomach heaved. The bucket's ominous purpose was soon fulfilled and Sora, feeling clammy and shaky, sat back. His stomach's protests subsided for the moment, threatening further action if it was abused any further.

"I imagine you're feeling somewhat…rough…"

"Is it over yet Mr. Red?" Yuna called out from behind a desk.

"Yes Yuna, Sora's quite done for…oh, no…wait a…ah…yes…well...okay maybe you should just wait back there until I call you," Red said, wincing.

After a second slightly smaller bout of rebellion, his stomach seemed appeased and Sora gratefully accepted a glass of water from Tifa.

"I suggest you go to your room and get some rest," Red advised. "The antidote, I'm afraid, was designed to make you sick. You see there's an enzyme produced in the stomach that, once chemically bonded with the…"

"In normal terms Red?" Tifa requested.

Red sighed, apparently not liking being cut off mid-flow. "Basically the herb had to combine with the stomach's acid to fully complete the antidote. It's a shame it has to go in and out but that's how it is."

Sora swallowed, wincing at the foul taste of his own mouth. Red's descriptions weren't making him feel so good. The exhaustion the shower had managed to allay was returning as well, but the drowsiness was serving to make his stomach feel even worse.

"So, what now?" Tifa asked.

"It'll take a good few hours for his voice to return at all and at least three days for it to be back to normal but…"

"Ugh." The water returned and Sora clamped his eyes shut to avoid the sight that was bound to inspire further upset.

"But Sora is quite capable of inarticulate noise."

Putting as little weight as possible on her bad leg, Tifa grabbed the bucket and pulled it away while calling to Yuna to bring another. "That's good to know."

Yuna, with her eyes as near to closed as possible, hurried over with two buckets, thinking ahead much to Sora's dismay. He'd had quite enough already.

Zidane chose that moment to walk in, carrying something wrapped in a towel. "Hot water bottle," he explained to Red. "Tifa's idea."

"Good one," Red agreed. "Sora, do you think you can go to your room?"

"Uh…" He tried lifting himself. His stomach said no with a disgusting but well aimed splosh.

"In that case you can lie down here," Red said, tilting his head to a door at the back of the medical lab. "There's a small room with a bed," he explained. "When you're ready we'll move."

Sora gave a slight nod and closed his eyes, taking a few methodical breaths. When he had convinced his stomach that moving wasn't such a bad thing and that sleep was going to be such a welcome relief, he began to slowly lift himself out the chair once again. Zidane handed the hot water bottle to Yuna, who trotted into the small room with it, before wrapping an arm around his younger friend and helping him walk towards the bed. Tifa and her crutches followed close behind, leaving Red to bring the one remaining clean bucket, which he nudged along with his nose.

It was with a great sense of relief that Sora laid down with, curling his body on it's side around the hot water bottle and forgoing sheets for the time being in case of further digestive evacuations. Zidane and Yuna left, as did Red once the bucket was delivered. Tifa pulled the blinds over the room's small porthole closed and shut the door, the only light left coming from a dim bulb in the ceiling. Sora's eyes were drifting shut, his tiredness so deep that he was barely aware of Tifa's hand brushing his hair gently. On the precipice of sleep, he felt like a sick child under the tender hand of his mother who had always stayed up all night with him whenever he was unwell. Homesickness stirred within him but its moment was lost as sleep tugged him down into the dark quietude of his mind.


	20. Chapter 20

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Twenty

 _Lost in the dark ice. That's what he was. Lost in the dark ice._

 _Above him, below him, to his left and to his right; all was light. But he was lost and the darkness had formed a castle that had no exit. He ran and ran, his cold bare feet slapping loudly on the stonework. But whenever he found a door that was meant to lead outside, it led instead to a brick wall or a corridor that wasn't meant to be there._

 _Are they coming again?_

 _I don't know._

 _If they aren't yet…_

 _It won't be long._

"It's prettier than I imagined."

"D'ya think it'll take long to find her?"

Donald shrugged, stepping away from the controls and heading over to the panel that showed the readout from the Scan-G. "I sure hope not."

Goofy watched over the magician's shoulder. "Uh…whatcha doin'?"

"Scanning for an island that matches the place we saw at the End of the World."

"Oh."

"Hmmm…I think I got it."

Goofy leaned forward, not knowing what he should be looking at but feeling excited nonetheless. "Ya do?"

"Yup. Small island with larger ones nearby, only a few life signs…You ready?"

"You betcha!"

The pair stepped to the back of the cockpit where the disembark device flashed bright green, ready to take them to Destiny Islands.

"Let's go find Kairi," Donald said and an instant later he and Goofy left the ship behind.

 _Old stone occasionally rained down, forcing him to run a little faster through his ever growing, never ending maze. The light from the windows was starting to fail, ice replacing warmth, dark replacing sun._

 _The cold was making his ankles feel as though his feet had become mere stumps of bone, cut off at the heel and while each step grew slower the agony never lessened._

 _Where are you going?_

 _It's not that way._

 _There's nothing that way._

 _Only it._

 _Only them._

 _Only him._

"We're lucky we got out of there when we did," Barret said heavily as Tifa arrived on the bridge. "Scanners just picked up three ships registered to Hollow Bastion…they're searching for us."

"Well, there are still a few worlds in this region that Sora hasn't sealed," Tifa responded once she made her way to the console everyone else was gathered around. "We'll just stay here for a little while longer."

"There's no way we can take Traverse Town," Galuf said with a shake of his head. "We're not strong enough to take such a frozen world."

"Yeah, and then there's Destiny Islands and Disney Castle," Barret grumbled. "We don't stand a snowman's chance in hell."

"And we've still got Halloween Town and Neverland to worry about," Yuki added.

"Don't forget Hollow Bastion." Galuf said, supplying yet another.

"And, technically, all our own worlds," Red said, musing aloud. "Although we might be able to leave most of the frozen worlds - including Traverse Town."

"Okay, wait a minute, back up." Barret's brow was weighed with confusion. "Explain this 'Frozen World' thing to me one more time."

"It's simple," Zidane slipped in neatly before Red could. "A frozen world has already been taken by the Heartless and although people can still live there, chances are they'll turn into a Heartless within a very short space of time."

"And all these world's you've been to with Sora have been frozen?"

"Actually," Red fought back and nosed in before Zidane could speak. "According to my research and understanding of the phenomena, we have yet to come across a properly frozen world like that of Traverse Town or our own worlds. All we've been to are worlds that were under attack from the Heartless."

"So," Barret drew the word out slowly as he formulated his thoughts into words, "we've got frozen worlds, worlds under attack and safe worlds, is that it?"

"Well, if I were you I'd take out the safe worlds and stick with the other two," Zidane corrected.

"Yeah but Hollow Bastion hasn't been attacked in…well a long, long time," Tifa said. "Doesn't that mean it's safe?"

"Not likely," Red answered. "It's Keyhole is unsealed, and therefore it's open to Heartless attack at any time."

"So why haven't they attacked?" Yuki asked. "Surely Hollow Bastion is, like, their number one target."

Everyone suddenly looked troubled before Zidane grinned widely. "I guess that must mean Hollow Bastion does have sealed Keyhole."

"But how?" Red persisted pessimistically. "Sora certainly never had a chance to seal it."

"So what? Maybe it was never unsealed to begin with."

"It's the only answer," Barret said and Galuf nodded in agreement.

Red sighed. "I'll have to ask Sora later. How is he Tifa?"

"Sleeping. A little restless but he's completely out of it."

"Making any noise yet?" Zidane asked. "Like…talking in his sleep?"

"Give it a few more hours yet. When it's time, I'll wake him up. I hope he won't need another dose."

"That wouldn't be pretty Red, from what I've heard," Barret said with a raised eyebrow. "Poor kid would probably never wanna talk to ya ever again."

"Yuna's sitting with him right now. She said she'd come screaming to the bridge if he was sick again."

"I'd better head back then," Red said, moving to leave. "Yuna may be extremely adept at using magic but when it comes to the nastier things in life…she is true to her age."

"Hey, let us know when he's ready for visitors to actually talk to," Zidane called.

"I will."

"So, where to Captain?" Barret said, grinning at Tifa.

Her eyes scanned the map. "Well…"

 _He threw open a door and finally found the outside._

 _And the castle was suddenly far away again, on top of the hill._

 _All around him was the lake. He stood once again in its dead centre, as if he had always been there._

 _He'd found it._

 _He took a few steps forward, afraid that his feet would freeze to the ice._

 _Maybe this time he'd be able to run all the way off the lake._

 _But they were there, watching from all sides, a hushed crowd._

 _He'd found them._

 _"If you run away, they'll get you. I don't think even you can survive that many."_

 _Oh…_

 _Looks like…_

 _He found you!_

 _The dark figure walked toward him._

 _Not again!_

They found themselves standing in a hut with the sounds of laughter and a calm ocean tickling the air. Goofy went through the door first, Donald close behind. They stepped out onto the warmest, sunniest beach either had ever seen. A brown haired girl and a blond boy were chasing each other around the sand, the brunette wielding a skipping rope and the blond a long stick. Both came to a dead stop when they saw Donald and Goofy watching them. Nervous, the two took simultaneous steps backwards.

"Uh, dontcha worry kids. We're not here to hurt ya," Goofy quickly reassured. "We're looking for someone."

The girl's curiosity got the better of her. "Who?"

"Her name's…"

"Hey, who are you talking to? I thought we were gonna go get some coconuts and…"

The four on the beach turned to face the newcomer who was walking onto the scene from under the bridge. Obviously older than the other two, the dark skinned young man's smiling face grew stern when he realised what was going on.

"Look, before you start," Donald spoke before anyone else could release any other accusations, "we're here to see Kairi, not to hurt you. We're friends of hers and it's very important that we see her."

The three youths shared a look of shock. "How d'you know Kairi?" the blond asked.

Goofy crouched down a little. "Won't telling them be…um…uh…mud…"

"Meddling, yes."

The girl spoke up. "If you don't tell us, we won't tell you where Kairi is!"

"Uh, well, it's a little complicated…" Goofy began.

A cry interrupted him. "Donald! Goofy! It is you!" Kairi came running down from the waterfall, a trembling smile on her face and tears shining in her blue eyes. In the months that had gone by, her hair had grown a little so that it rested closer to her shoulders, even though she had tied most of it back. She still wore the same purple skirt but it was over the top of cropped white pants. Her slightly new ensemble also included a sleeveless purple hoodie that had the occasional white mark of chalk dusted across the front. "I can't believe it!" The other three visibly relaxed as Kairi hugged Donald and Goofy tightly. "Is he here? Is he with you?"

"Actually…that's why we're here…"

"Hey! Would someone tell us what's going on?"

The heartache was clear in Kairi's downcast eyes. She didn't bother turning to face the blond boy. "Later Tidus."

"Is there somewhere we can go to talk?" Donald asked, feeling so sorry for Kairi.

She nodded, looking suddenly drained. "Yeah, follow me." She turned to the other teens. "Wakka, Selphie, Tidus, promise me you won't follow. If you do…"

"We won't Kairi, promise," Selphie said, the younger girl noticing the seriousness. "Come on guys, let's go to the cove."

The two groups parted ways and Kairi, struggling to hold back her tears, led Donald and Goofy to the Secret Place in silence. Once there, her tears finally under control, she asked her most pressing question.

"Where's Sora? Why isn't he here with you?"

Between them, Donald and Goofy explained the events of Brighthelmston and all that had happened since. Kairi grew cold with dread. Sora was lost somewhere?

"You have to let me come with you!" she begged when the pair were done. "Please, you can't expect me to stay after…"

"That's why we're here Kairi," Goofy interrupted calmly. "The King reckons we're gonna need y'for somethin'."

Kairi's tearful eyes lit up, a smile taking over her face. "Really?"

"Uh huh. We've gotta go to Hollow Bastion…"

"Oh, back there."

"We'll go whenever you're ready," Donald said.

"Um…" Kairi paced around the cave a little as she thought. "I don't know what I'm gonna tell my family."

"They don't remember anythin' from when their world was gone?" Goofy asked.

"Nothing. It's been so hard thinking of ways to explain to Sora and Riku's families why they're not here any more." A few tears slid down her cheeks. "Sora's mom would be so proud but I told her…that after he saved me from drowning in a storm I hadn't seen him. And then…" Her tears grew heavier, her face was crumpling under their burden and her breath hitched. "I told Riku's family that wherever he was, he was safe and with good people." She wheeled back to Donald and Goofy, her tears of grief swinging to anger that awakened guilt in the hearts of the knight and the magician. "But what else was I supposed to do?" Bitterness rose in her voice. "Tell them Sora had a destiny that's taken him far from home for who knows how long while Riku went kinda bad and even though he made up for it he's stuck in a place he probably can't get out of?" She threw a hand up in the air, laughing mirthlessly. "Yeah, that would've made a great story. The truth is so painful and I can't share it with anyone."

"Kairi…" Donald's eyes found the ground. "We're sorry. We never meant for…"

She sniffled, taking a deep breath and trying to calm down. "I know, I know. It's not your fault. I just…I just feel so…so…frustrated, sitting here every day and not being able to make any kind of difference. You being here…brought it all back to me." She wiped her eyes with the heels of her hands. "I'm sorry."

"That's okay Kairi," Goofy said with a smile. "Any time you wanna yell or anything, that's just fine."

"Yeah…as long as I'm not trying to sleep," Donald added sternly.

Kairi giggled a little. "Okay, I promise to only yell at good times."

"So…when do you think you'll be ready to go?" Donald asked, feeling relieved that Kairi was smiling again.

"I guess I'd better…I think I'd better leave a letter for my family so they won't worry. Can I meet you both back at the hut at midnight tonight? It's already late afternoon."

"Sure."

"Great. I'll be there and then…then we can get going." Kairi led them all to the cave's entrance. "Donald, Goofy? Thanks."

 _The cold sky above hosted a race of the clouds, dashing madly across the crippled landscape._

 _A place so sad._

 _A place so desolate._

 _A place empty of love._

 _"Do you really think you can sort this all out?"_

 _Like an old oil painting, crumbling at the edges…_

 _Dirty ice._

 _Fake sky._

 _Dead places._

 _Sealed places._

… _Everything was so…_

 _"I don't think you can."_

… _what?_

 _"But please, continue to amuse me."_

 _Was it all so far beyond him? Was that it?_

 _"Light won't help you now."_


	21. Chapter 21

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Twenty-One

 _ **Dear Everyone**_

 _ **I guess you can probably tell what I'm going to say. It's been coming for a while and you always seem to know what I'm thinking so I suppose this won't be much of a surprise for you all.**_

 _ **I'm sorry but I had to go. I just need to get away for a while. I need some time away from this place just to try and understand some things about myself and about what's been happening. I don't know when I'll be back but I know that when I return I'll finally feel like myself again. Don't worry, everything's going to be okay and I promise I won't be in any danger.**_

 _ **I hope you can understand. I know I'm not the only one who feels this way but I have to do something and I know that whatever I do will be for the best.**_

 _ **I'll come back and when I do my smiles won't be fake any more.**_

 _ **Kairi.**_

Rising from his dreams, Sora awoke in the darkness and quite alone. He was tempted to roll over and go back to sleep but his mouth tasted foul courtesy of a certain liquid and he could just about make out hushed voices coming from the next room.

Remembering the hot water bottle he was still clutching, Sora tossed it aside. Sitting up slowly, his head kindly refusing to spin, Sora was glad that his stomach was no longer churning. Putting his feet on the cold ground, he carefully stood up. Feeling a further flush of confidence, he walked forward to the door. Opening it, he winced as bright light flooded his vision.

"Sora!"

A short weight hit him in the legs and to keep his balance he quickly grabbed the doorframe. Looking down he found Yuna clinging to him.

Red's voice drew his attention. "How do you feel Sora?"

Sora shrugged, noncommittal, eyes searching for…aha, a sink. Pulling Yuna off with a smile, he went over to it, turned the tap on and opened his mouth under the cold stream of water, swishing it around before spitting it out. Once he was quite sure his mouth was no longer akin to a gorilla's armpit, he turned the tap off and turned back to Red and Yuna with a smile.

"Well?" Yuna asked, looking at him pointedly.

Sora blushed a little. "Um…" He didn't really know what to say, if he could even say anything.

"Oh, Sora, you're up!"

Looking over, Sora saw that Tifa stood by the lab's main door with a smile on her face. "How are you feeling? Can you say anything?"

"Uh…"

"Oh, hey, looks like your timing was spot on Tifa," Zidane stepped into the room, looking at the centre of attention with a grin. "You're looking a little less green Sora."

He smiled and blushed a little, scratching the back of his head. "Ah…"

"Say something, say something!" Yuna chanted.

"Yeah, before Red gives you another dose," Zidane added with a wicked smirk.

Sora shuffled his feet a little, not enjoying all the attention. Deciding it was best to get it over and done with, he picked the first thing that came to mind and tried to say it.

"Ah…um…" He frowned, the words cutting out as he formed them. Focusing everything, he said the singly most important word in the entire sentence. "S…Sh…Shoes?" To emphasis his point, he wiggled his cold, bare toes. The memory of running and the pain from his dream was still fresh.

A loud applause broke out, deepening the blush on Sora's cheeks.

"It worked!" Yuna giggled, dancing around.

"It certainly did. In a few days Sora's voice will be fine again," Red announced. "Until then Sora, just keep talking. Eventually your voice will stop cutting out and just be very rough until it's normal again."

"Th…Thanks."

"You ready to go to the bridge?" Tifa asked and earned a nod. "I'll show you our next destination."

"And then we'll go find you some winter woolies," Zidane continued as the group moved out. "It is seriously cold down there."

"Y-yeah?"

"Ha, it is good to hear you talk again."

"Answer…p-please."

"Oh, yeah, right. Um, this world has been locked in a state of unending winter for a long while now. Red reckons it's 'cause the Keyhole is in serious danger of being frozen, right Red?"

"Yes, exactly."

"Can we go have a snowball fight?" Yuna asked, jogging to keep up with her elders.

"Maybe when we've dealt with the Heartless," Tifa replied with a laugh. "It'd be fun."

"Yeah, and we can make snowmen too!"

Sora took a peek out the porthole while they waited for the lift to call by. The Highwind was in orbit but whatever world they were at, the snow cover was utterly complete and kept its identity a secret. He'd never really seen proper snow before. Destiny Islands wasn't exactly a beacon for winter snowfall and even though there had been snow-like piles at the End of the World, it had been relatively warm there. Excitement welled up in his heart at the prospect of a snowball fight and he hoped the Heartless would be easy to deal with so he could pelt everyone with tons of snow and make snowmen with Yuna, just like he'd read about in books as a child.

Once on the bridge, Barret waved them over to the tactical display, looking grim. "We might have a problem."

Tifa's expression became just as serious. "Hollow Bastion?"

"There are two ships heading toward us…well…to the world really but there's no way they won't spot us."

"Can we skip on to another world?" Zidane asked, eyes roaming the screen. It showed the world they orbited, their ship as a yellow dot and two red dots that were rapidly closing in.

"We have to seal the Keyhole," Red insisted. His eyes roamed over the readouts briefly before he continued. "How about three of us go down to the world while you take the ship and keep moving. We can stay in touch via the PHS - it's got enough range. Call us if things look grim and we'll call you when we're ready to move on."

"It's the best idea," Tifa said, only slightly hesitant as she considered the pros and cons.

"It's the only idea," Zidane shot back.

"Let's do it," Barret said. "Red, Zidane, you go with Sora. We'll do some random flying and shake them off and come back when they've left the world. You do your best to stay undercover."

"I don't like the cold any better than the heat you know," Red grumbled.

"Too bad," Zidane said. "Barret's needed here, Tifa can't fight and there's no way we could expect Yuna to come with us."

"It's true. I'm not very good at fighting yet," Yuna agreed, albeit with a pout. "Ooh! I guess I won't get to play in the snow after all."

"Come on Sora, let's go get some warm clothes on."

"I'll take a scarf at least," Red muttered, following the tailed thief.

"Um…um…" Sora struggled to form the question but he got it out in the end. "Where…uh…where…argh!" He gave a spectacular frown before trying again. "Where a-are we?"

"Wonderland," Zidane and Red provided simultaneously.

Kairi sat silently in the gummi ship, watching Destiny Islands fade away. She felt sadness but it was mingled in with a much more powerful sense of determination and even a dash of happiness. So far, she'd managed to keep the guilt at bay. She knew she was causing a lot of people back home a lot of pain but…but… She brushed a few tears away. What she was doing was for the best. She couldn't leave Sora out here alone, knowing that he was in some kind of trouble.

"You sure you're okay with this Kairi?" Donald said, preparing the ship to warp to Hollow Bastion.

"Yeah."

"C'mon then Donald. Let's get goin' already."

Kairi forced her distant eyes to the magician. "It's okay," she smiled faintly. "Let's get to Hollow Bastion."

"Okay then. We're off!" Donald punched a button and the ship jerked forward, space turning to streaming bands of colour.

Barely five minutes later and there they were, standing in Hollow Bastion's grand library, sunlight streaming through the windows. Shaking off her disorientation, Kairi stepped out of the green light. She could hear footsteps lightly running up the stairs and gulped quietly, not knowing what to expect.

"It's okay Cloud, I think it was just a…oh!" Aerith smiled brightly. "Kairi, Donald, Goofy! What are you doing here?"

Aerith was still dressed in pink but she also wore a simple white shirt over her dress. Behind her Cloud was coming up the stairs. The armour he had worn around his right thigh was gone, as was the long red robe and the clawed glove. However, his wing remained as a constant reminder of his use of the darkness. Kairi found herself in awe of the powerful blond man and maybe even a little afraid of him but she refused to show it.

"It's about Sora," Kairi finally said. "Something awful happened and we need your help."

"What is it?" Cloud asked, his blue eyes focusing on Kairi as he came to stand at Aerith's side.

Once again Donald and Goofy covered all the events since Brighthelmston. "The King reckons ya'll can help us out with all the books here," Goofy concluded.

"And stuff left by Ansem," Donald added.

"Do you have any theories about where Sora could be?" Aerith asked.

"Only the one King Mickey sent to the Queen: that Sora's been sealed within the Keyhole," Donald explained.

Kairi's eyes widened. "But…"

"There's no way to open a Keyhole without a Keyblade or the Heartless," Aerith finished for her.

"We can't leave him there!" Kairi cried out. "There has to be something we can do."

"The King's message also said that Sora would probably be in a sorta dream," Goofy added. "He wouldn't know he was really stuck in the Keyhole or dreaming but that's probably what's happening to 'im."

Kairi frowned. "What if that isn't what happened?

"It's the best idea we got Kairi," Goofy replied. "And it kinda makes sense - I did see 'im get pulled into it."

"Well, the King reckons that somewhere here Ansem must've done some research into opening Keyholes," Donald said, noticing Kairi's mounting concern. "So once we find somethin like that we'll be able to get him back."

"Let's go and meet the others first," Aerith said. "That way we can co-ordinate our efforts."

"There are still a lot of areas to Hollow Bastion to be properly searched," Cloud spoke up, surprising Kairi, Donald and Goofy for all of them expected him to remain a silent presence. "Ansem's labs seem to stretch out for miles in the basement. Maybe we'll find something down there."

"Well, no matter what we're going to need the others," Aerith determined. "I'm pretty sure I saw Yuffie in the Great Hall training. She's bound to know where Leon is and Cid'll probably be tinkering around with one of the ships."

"I'll go for Cid," Cloud said, returning to the top of the stairs. "We'll meet back here."

"Why don't you all rest here while Cloud and I get everyone?" Aerith suggested kindly. "You all look exhausted."

"But we can't waste any time," Kairi insisted. "I can't stand here and do nothing while…while…" She squeezed her eyes shut, her hands reaching for her chest. "Sora needs me!"

"And you'll get to him Kairi, you know you will," Aerith said, placing a hand on the girl's slim shoulder. "We'll find a way to help him."

Kairi offered a watery smile, Aerith's words bringing her barely under-control emotions to the fore. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Aerith smiled. "Now, you all sit tight and I'll get everyone here."

The woman in pink breezed away, leaving Kairi to plop down in a seat next to the study desk.

"You okay?" Goofy asked.

"It's…it's just a little odd being back here," she answered plainly, not wanting to say more.

Wonderland. Wonderland? More like freeze-your-butt-off land.

They had been dropped off in the forest and in the middle of a calm snowfall. Everything was quiet, the white blanket swallowing most sound. Nothing aside from the three new arrivals stirred. The Heartless remained unseen.

Sora huddled deeper into his dark red fleecy jacket, tugged his gloves up higher, shook snow off his baggy black trousers and jiggled up and down on the spot in an effort to warm his freezing body. He had decided within moments of being outside that he didn't much like snow. It was cold, it was wet and it wasn't much fun at all. Even Red looked warmer than he did, catching snowflakes on his long tongue with a grin the Cheshire Cat would probably approve of.

"C-c-c-can w-w-we m-m-move?" Sora stuttered quietly as he tugged his hood over his head, not sure if it was the cold or his still damaged voice making his words so garbled.

"Don't you like snow Sora?" Red asked, chasing down a few flakes only to cause flurries with each bound.

"No."

"I thought everyone loved snow." So, there was a big kid in Red after all.

"I-it's…" Sora's voice cracked, refusing to form the word 'cold'. Groaning, he began plodding through the quietly crackling snow, rubbing his arms as he went.

"Not used to it?" Zidane asked, rubbing his mitten-encased hands together as he followed Sora, grabbing Red by the ruff of the neck as he passed the four-legged creature. "Stop messing around Red, we don't have the time."

"Oh, it's alright when you want to be silly but can I cut loose? No!"

"Don't be such a brat."

"Hey!"

"What? I am older than you."

Red grunted. "That's debatable."

"I don't care how slow your species ages, you're still a kid."

"I'm more of an adult than you!"

"Yeah, because it was me who was chasing snowflakes."

"Sh-shut up!"

Red and Zidane fell silent, both turning to Sora, who was looking rather irked, in shock.

"Y-y-yo-you're…" Sora cleared his throat. "You're driving me c-cr-crazy!" he managed to croak.

"You mean to say the voices in your head haven't done that already?"

Confusion fell over Sora. Red and Zidane's mouths hadn't opened.

"Well Sora? Are you just going to keep me waiting?"

Plus Red and Zidane weren't girls.

"Who's there?" Zidane demanded.

Behind them the snow gave a quiet crunch. All three turned to see a little blond girl, probably not too much younger than Yuna, standing in front of them. Her arms were bare, her torso covered by merely a blue corset and her legs were mostly naked to the elements except for where they were measly covered by a short white skirt and little black shoes.

"A-Alice?"

"Isn't Wonderland simply beautiful under all this snow?" she giggled, bending down and tossing an arm full of the white stuff into the air. "It's got to be my favourite thing in the world!"

"Aren't you cold?" Zidane asked, taking a step forward.

Her playfulness disappeared. "Tell them Sora."

"I…"

"Tell them what you think I am because we both know you're quite right."

"Sh-she's a…a…"

"Come along now, it really isn't that hard to say."

"Heartless."

"What?" Zidane and Red spluttered.

Alice began walking away, the snow starting to fall a little harder from the steel sky. "Well, I'll be waiting."

"Wait!"

"Sora, Sora, Sora," she chuckled, still walking away. "I'm not going to listen to you. Didn't you learn that I don't listen to anyone but myself?"

Before Sora could move to stop her, other voices hit the air.

"This is Roam Team to Ship. We think we may have spotted the enemy. Are moving to engage."

"Oh, well, I really ought to be off. After all, I'm about to be late for a terribly important date."

"No, stop!"

"Sora we have to get out of here," Zidane hissed. "The Council's lackeys are here!"

"B-but we have t-to stop Alice!"

"She's just a little girl, what could she possibly do?" Zidane started jogging toward the trees, intent on loosing any trackers in their midst. "Make sure you walk in my footfalls. Red, cover our tracks with your tail. We need to mislead them."

"She's a Heart…a Hea…a Heartless!"

"He's right," Red said, the fiery tip of his tail acting like a duster. "She could freeze the Keyhole."

"Sir! I think I've found some tracks!"

"Damnit, we've gotta move!" Zidane picked up the pace. "Look, Heartless or not we've got another more pressing problem right now - making sure those goons don't find us. Sora, what's the fastest way to the Keyhole?"

He pointed in the direction Alice had taken. "Wh-where else would s-she be…be…" his voice cut out but he'd made his point.

"We'll have to take a pretty wild pathway there," Red replied. "We need to lose them."

"Split up?" Sora asked, deciding short sentences were the way to go for now.

Zidane hesitated as he thought about it, pushing a snowy branch out his way. "I dunno…we don't want to give them the chance of capturing one of us to use as bait for the others."

"But we do need to lose them," Red reiterated, treading carefully to keep his footsteps in line with Zidane's.

"We could meet up somewhere I guess," Zidane considered. "Where?"

"Keyhole?" Sora suggested, looking nervously over his shoulder. There were men standing where the trees began but they weren't plunging into them yet. "B-but be…be careful. W-Wonder…" He paused. Stick with short sentences, right. "Can be cr-crazy."

Wonderland seemed to decide it was high time to show off its craziness. Behind Sora, Red gave a cry that instantly began to grow increasingly distant. Turning together, Sora and Zidane managed to catch a glimpse of a hole closing back in on itself and when the snow was smooth again, Red couldn't be heard at all.

"Red!" Zidane hissed. "Where are you?"

"Sir! Back there, in the trees!"

"Check it out!"

"Run!" Sora pushed Zidane forwards.

"Where's Red gone?" Zidane demanded. "He was right behind us!"

"I-it's Wonderland! Kinda…crazy."

"I'd heard rumours but…"

But whatever Zidane had to say was lost as the snow shifted to eat him whole. Sora managed to grab his hand as he began to fall and hold him up but Wonderland wasn't going to give in so easily.

Zidane, looking up as he dangled over the precipice, saw the branch coming. "Sora look out!"

Summoning the Keyblade in his free hand, Sora managed to bat the hostile tree off but another and another took its place. He didn't stand a chance and while several branches hugged him tight, another slapped his hand until the pain forced him to release Zidane.

Zidane hollered a warning as the hole began to close in on him like it did with Red. "Don't let them catch you!"

With the hole closed, the trees released him and Sora fell face first into the snow.

"We know you're out there. Come out with your hands up and we won't shoot!"

His feet sliding but his hands clawing for purchase, Sora scrambled upright and began running. Gunshots were fired but went wide, kicking up more snow into the increasingly powerful storm. Sora knew he was leaving a blatant trail. His eyes looked up and an idea sparked in his mind. Grabbing the nearest tree, he climbed up it as fast as he could and climbed over into other trees so that his footsteps down below wouldn't give him away too soon. Up in the treetops he saw what appeared to be a familiar opening in one of the tree trunks. Perfect! Maybe something was finally going to go his way today.

"Up there!"

"I can't tell who it is!"

"Could be a Heartless."

"Shoot it you idiot!"

"This is Recon. Team One. We are in pursuit of an unknown target…could be one of the fugitives. We are moving in to investigate."

Feet skidding on the icy trees, Sora grabbed the trunk of the tree he had to leap off in order to reach the opening in the next tree. He tried to stand unaided but his feet gave a dangerous wobble and before he could save himself he was tipping forward. He stretched out as far as he could, gloved hands just about managing to gain fingertip holds on a stout branch. But they were slipping agonisingly free. Sora swung to the right, enabling his hand to gain a better grip but as he did so he released a cascade of snow, revealing his position.

"Over there!"

"Move!"

"Shoot it down!"

Time was running out and his goal was so close. Swinging recklessly, Sora managed to fling himself upwards. Flipping round, his aching fingers purchased the opening's edge. Gritting his teeth, Sora began pulling himself up, his muscles shaking with the painful exertion.

"Come on!" he growled, his feet kicking and sliding to find a grip to take some weight off his arms. He edged higher, inch by inch.

"There!"

"It's one of the fugitives!"

"Shoot him! Disable, don't kill."

Wrenching every muscle currently in use, Sora tore himself through the hole, tumbling down through the darkness. At first his fall was fast and out of control but it soon grew slower and slower until he was merely floating softly downwards. Looking up he could see the light of day far, far above but he could no longer reach it. He could glide but he certainly couldn't fly here so there was no going back.

Things were starting to look down.

Very, very down.


	22. Chapter 22

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Twenty-Two

Snow began to fall around Sora, and with it little flecks of light that held off the darkness. Alone their light was minimal but in larger clusters they cast enough for Sora to see by. What little there was to see told Sora he wasn't falling into the depths of a tree trunk. He seemed to be falling past walls. Walls with dinner plates and chairs stuck to them?Yes, the walls had all kinds of interesting objects poking out of them. Irregularly ticking clocks, cups, teddy bears, tables… All of them cast eerie shadows, like little spying monsters that had been dashed against the wall by an almighty blow.

The ground, snow covered despite all indoor appearances, finally came into view as the shadows parted. Sora's booted feet touched down and he found himself standing at the bottom of the rabbit hole. But the White Rabbit didn't come bustling by. He had gone, just like everyone from every world had.

"Red? Zidane?" Sora called as loud as he could…which was barely louder than a grating croak.

He received no answer. Pushing his way through the snowdrifts, Sora walked slowly through the small hallway that, if he remembered rightly, led on to that Bizarre Room. He couldn't stop a little grin from tugging at his face. He was already close to the Keyhole!

A cold wind twittered over his ears, the snowflakes dancing eagerly around his ankles. The light flickered, plunging Sora in and out of darkness. The clocks continued to tick and the snow continued to tumble but Sora refused to move. There was something…someone…here. He looked around carefully, not making any sudden moves, but there was nothing and no one to be seen. The light began growing stronger, banishing the shadows but still not showing anything that resembled a pair of prying eyes. Moving on, ignoring the urge to look back again and again, Sora carried on to the Bizarre Room's door. Snow had tried to hide it but the door came into sight and Sora hurried the last little stretch to it, digging the snow out of the way with his hands. The light grew painfully bright as Sora reached for the door handle and he had to shield his eyes or else go blind. He couldn't see anything as he covered his eyes with his free hand but something ran by him, knocking him aside. His heart hammered in his chest but he bit his lip slightly and controlled his fear, holding it back as if he clasped it tightly in his fist. A giggle whispered in the air as he pulled each of the doors open. Darkness tried to ward him off but he stepped into it, the giggling following him all the way.

"A very merry unbirthday to me!"

"To who?"

"To me!"

"Oh you!"

The shadows were like curtains. Sora pushed his way through the flimsy barriers, tugging his arm or leg free whenever something invisible snaked around him to keep him from moving onwards.

"A very merry unbirthday to you!"

"Who me?"

"Yes you!"

"Oh me!"

The voices were growing louder and now the curtains Sora pushed through were no longer merely nondescript sheets of black. Light flickered through, revealing the curtains to be a deeply rich green. Their touch became like velvet on his fingertips with the light and their flimsy quality gave way to thick bulkiness. Finally, the swinging curtains began to reveal what was up ahead. At times he caught a glimpse of a table complete with mismatched chairs and insane amounts of teacups and teapots.

"A very merry unbirthday to you!"

And then he was standing there, in the empty Tea Party Garden. The song had faded and no one was around but the teapots still steamed, the lights still glowed cheerfully and everything seemed ready for the party. Even the snow had left this place untouched, although it gathered at the pathway that led back to the forest and on the roof of the little house that led to an upside-down room. All in all, the Tea Party Garden seemed untouched and it brought a smile to Sora's face when he remembered all the gifts he, Donald and Goofy had received for their unbirthdays last time. He toyed with the idea of sitting down by the table to see what would happen but he knew that now he had far more urgent things to be doing.

 _What a shame!_

Sora looked back to see the route he had just taken but instead all he found were thick bushes with shining leaves that quivered ever so slightly in a wind that touched nothing else. Slightly confused but chalking it all up to it just being Wonderland's strange way, Sora waked towards the path that led back to the forest. He was very aware of the men running around out there but somehow he had to make it through to the Queen's Castle and then on to the Bizarre Room. Hopefully along the way he'd bump into Red and Zidane. Then there was Alice… Sora shook his head. Never mind about anything for now. There was no point worrying too much about the future, no matter how close to being the present it was.

He placed his hand on the gate and pushed it open, wincing at the loud, rolling screech it gave as he did so. A teacup smashed. Sora jerked back around, his eyes widening at the sight he encountered.

Everything, in a single instant, had fallen apart. Snow covered the ground; the tiny specks creating a sparkling blanket that infused everything with white chill. The clouds above infected everything with greyness, draining colour and life from the garden. The icy air refused to be simply cold; it was leaden with the stench of dust and Sora couldn't stop his lungs from tightening as they struggled to adapt to the denser atmosphere. Uneasy, Sora stepped away from the gate and back into the garden proper. How could…? When had it…? But hadn't he been…?

The door that had led back to the upside-down Bizarre Room had gone; the small house's wall continuing has if an opening had never even been there. Cups and teapots were little more than chunks of long forgotten china, covered in cobwebs that clung stubbornly to the rickety table. The chairs, bar the largest, had all be torn apart and thrown around, creating odd little ornaments that poked their jagged tips out of the snow. The lamps above flickered as they died, creaking as they swung by their own volition, for there was no wind to speak of.

Everything was grey and dead, devoid of its careless charm. The air of joviality had been wiped out, consumed by something heavier, something that kept all things hushed.

Sora edged back to the one remaining chair, forcing his nerves to the very depths of his mind and heart. Was it…was it rocking slightly? Maybe there was a slight wind.

But a slight wind could never move such a heavy object…

A giggle.

An incoherent whisper of a song.

Snow slid off the closed house's roof, thumping into more of itself. Shadows flickered everywhere, like darting Heartless, but their movement was repetitive rather than alive, allowing Sora at least some minor relief. He was as alone as he thought he was after all.

Wasn't he?

 _Aren't you?_

The ignored chair tipped backwards, causing Sora's heart to smash into his ribs. And even as his brain screamed 'run!' the Keyblade glimmered into his hand in an instant, ready for anything. It hit the snow with a muffled bump. No one sat there, no Heartless grinned up at him, and no ghost endeavoured to scare him witless. Instead, all he found was a small glass bottle that he picked up, eyeing the contents wearily. He'd had quite enough of unusual drinks for the remainder of his lifetime. He noticed that words had been chiselled into the glass and he looked closer.

"'Drink me'," he read quietly, dismissing the Keyblade from his jumpy grasp.

He remembered it from last time of course but he didn't see how shrinking could help him now. Deciding to pocket it for later, Sora turned to leave the abandoned garden. Only, there was a slight problem. The gate, no, even the path, had gone. In their place stood bushes so riddled with little branches and twigs that only the smallest of mice would be able to squeeze by.

Well, now the drink made sense.

Sora reached back into his pocket for the bottle, at the same time remembering to check for the Ultima Materia in his other pocket. A jolting shock stabbed his stomach. He'd left it, with his Oathkeeper keychain, in the pocket of his old clothes! Would Tifa or Zidane really have thrown them away? Mentally cursing his stupidity, Sora could only hope that someone would find the wayward items and return them to him. If not, well, Tifa he could deal with but Kairi…Sora hated the idea of upsetting her by breaking their promise.

Eyeing the little bottle with a highly suspicious eye, Sora frowned as he popped the lid off and brought it to his lips. Before he could talk himself out of drinking it, he knocked it back. He winced as the bitter taste played havoc with his tongue, lingering there to taunt his offended taste buds. With a sudden lurch, Sora found his view on the world plummeting downwards. Lurch one, he was barely taller than the table. Lurch two and only the tips of his hair peeked over the tabletop. Lurches three through to five saw him down to such a tiny height that the snow was no longer merely ankle level; it was enough to drown him.

Sora groaned. He really hadn't thought it all the way through, had he?

The snow was like quicksand, sucking his feet down, down, down if he tried to take a step. Hurriedly, Sora lay down flat on the snow, ignoring it's soggy, piercing chill. An old memory resurfaced. One of the islands near his home had been a desert and was renowned for it's quicksand. Sora's mother had always suspected her son's curiosity would drive him to investigate the marvel for himself and, with foresight only parents could muster, told him what to do should he fall in. Well luckily for her, despite Sora dragging Riku and Kairi to the desert sands, all three had avoided the peril. With a slow smile, Sora imagined this wasn't quite what his mom had had in mind when she'd told him 'lie flat, don't move and wait for help to come.'

He was lying flat, and he didn't move…but help wasn't coming and he was still sinking. Slowly, slowly, but sinking still. Before long, even with his arm stretched to its very limit, he couldn't touch the air above his personal hole. He shivered as snow kissed his bare cheeks and crept through all available nooks and crannies his clothing didn't protect. Everything was so white and soft and cold it seemed as though he was sinking through the snowy clouds.

His legs popped out first, followed closely by his upper torso. And then he was no longer sinking; he was falling. The fall was over quickly, ended by jarring bump that left Sora as winded as he was confused. There were colours other than white around him and as he sat up, trying to catch his steaming breath, his location clicked in his mind. He was back in the forest and everything was its normal size again. But when had he regained his usual height? Wouldn't he have noticed? Sora shook his head as he climbed to his feet and filed the confusion under 'It's only Wonderland'.

Sora was standing in the same area of the forest he, Zidane and Red had been in earlier, not far from the entrance to the Queen's Castle. Maybe Red and Zidane were waiting there in the boisterous Queen's grounds. Hope spurred him on and he hurried forward, able to forget his sorely frozen body.

Everything in the forest was so quiet, so tranquil. The snow was unblemished and the flakes that still wafted down from the sky lay down without a peep. Wonderland suddenly seemed so empty, and Sora felt so completely alone. The silence seemed to eat the sound of his careful footsteps, his breathing and the rustling of his clothes. The forest had taken on a winter coat that kept everything docile yet saddened. Wonderland's quirky spark hadn't just dimmed, it had been consumed by snow that lay thick and stole all the sound.

"Scouts, fan out. I want to know where the target went and I want him captured ASAP!"

Jerked into hearing and cursing his stupidity, Sora fell back behind the cover of the trees just as two men dressed in black and carrying wicked guns headed his way. The men were edging ever closer to him, moving slowly so they could gain a better glimpse of their surroundings. Them not rushing gave Sora enough time to climb back up into the trees at a safe speed. It was the only hiding place he could think of at such short notice and thankfully the scouts passed by without incident.

From his higher vantage point, Sora could see his target. The opening to the Queen's Castle was still there and appeared to be free of all obstructions (as long as one didn't include the men who were currently searching around for him). Thinking ahead, Sora cast his eyes about and managed to count a total of six men poking around various areas of the forest. He swallowed hard, frowning heavily. The council was definitely serious about finding him and the others. He felt a kind of nervousness, a pressure, he'd never properly known before. The thought of being hunted down by powerful people, rather than Heartless, seemed so much worse. Even Maleficent and her band of merry villains had used the Heartless to carry out their deeds. But Tsuko and his idiot supporters were just blind to the truth that what remained of their council was needlessly endangering the lives of everyone across all worlds. Sora sighed quietly, unable to fully map out his thoughts into a cohesive and comprehensible weave. He was left instead with a feeling that somehow things were a lot worse than before.

Sora turned back to the path that would lead him to the Queen's Castle. Lady Luck seemed to smile upon him because, he noticed with a grin, the gigantic lily pads were still standing tall albeit covered in ice and snow. He hurried over to them, climbing ever so carefully through the trees. He didn't attempt to use Glide because, like when he'd been fleeing the shooters earlier, there were too many branches and leaves in his way and he needed a clear path otherwise he'd fall and no doubt be spotted that same instant. So he stuck to clambering and jumping and eventually he stood on the lily pad closest to the archway he needed to dash through. Unfortunately the two scouts he'd nearly bumped into earlier seemed to have taken up a permanent station there and refused to move.

Sora was about to have a fight on his hands.

 _Or are you?_

Or was he?

Summoning the Keyblade, he pointed it out and summoned several blasts of Firaga, sending them to explode over various areas of the forest, bringing snow and ice snapping down from above. The pair took off as they heard yells hit the air. Fear of an attack had clearly taken them by surprise. Leaping down into the snow, a grin of triumph tugging his numbed face, Sora ducked into the Queen's Castle.

"You are awfully rude to make me wait so long."

A night without any stars had fallen over the castle grounds, pitching everything into midnight blue darkness. Alice stood where the Queen had once sat but the uplifted chair was dilapidated and rotten and the little blond girl easily kicked a chunk of wood into the snow.

"An improvement, wouldn't you say?"

"Where are Zidane and Red?" Sora demanded, his voice not allowing any other words.

"Behind you."

"Sora, get out of here now!"

"Run!"

Sora turned to see Zidane and Red locked in a cage that blocked the path to the Bizarre Room. Both were looking at him with expressions of desperation and possibly fear. What was going on?

"Did I ever have the chance to tell you that Wonderland isn't really like any other world?"

"No, you didn't," Sora replied as he turned back to her.

Alice jumped off the wooden mess and landed in a crouch on the snow. "Wonderland is my world, I dreamt it you see."

"Dreamt it?"

She began walking towards him and Sora automatically raised the Keyblade. "Anyone can make Wonderland their dream."

"Sora don't listen to her damnit!" Zidane yelled from behind. "You have to get out of here before…"

"Do be quiet you silly boy." Alice waved a hand and Sora heard Zidane cry out and looked in time to see him slam into the back of the cage and hit the ground. "Sora." He turned back to find her standing right in front of him. "Sora, I can show you Wonderland."

He took a step back. "Let Red and Zidane go."

"I shan't. Not until you see the truth."

"I get the feeling I don't wanna do that."

Alice's hand shot out and grabbed his head before Sora could move. "You do."

"No!" Red growled. "Sora you have to…"

Silence slaughtered sound and even though the world remained, Sora couldn't hear anything. He blinked, not understanding. The Keyblade fizzled away and Alice's face was twisted into a feral grin, her hand still outstretched. Then the knowledge hit him with the pain.

Her hand was reaching into his mind.


	23. Chapter 23

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Twenty-Three

A voice penetrated the unexpected darkness.

"You're sleeping down here again? Honestly! Wake up!"

Sora opened his eyes, only to squeeze them shut again as bright light pierced him painfully. When he felt a cool shadow pass over his face, he cautiously peeked out.

No way. How could it be?

"Sora I thought you were the one who was so desperate to get going?"

He sat up so fast, in a breathless wonder, he barely gave her a chance to move out the way and avoid receiving a nasty blow to the head. "Kairi? How...how is that...how is this real?"

She looked at him, sighing as if exasperated with him. "Sora don't tell me you're still dreaming."

Sora flew to his feet, looking around. Sun shone down on the peaceful island, making the sand below his bare feet warm and oddly soft. Birds chased each other through the hot air and all around was the sound of lapping waves and gushing waterfalls.

Home.

"There's no way..." Sora said, wiping a shaking hand over his sweaty head. "This can't be."

Kairi looked at him, her expression caught between amusement and uncertainty. "What is it? What's wrong?"

He looked at her and his wild-eyed stare sent her backing up a few paces. "Kairi you don't understand. I've got to be dreaming!"

The redhead looked mildly insulted but refused to comment.

"Don't you remember?" he crossed the slight distance between them and grabbed her wrists. She gasped but Sora ignored it, staring deeply into her alarmed and confused eyes. "We got separated after the King and I sealed Kingdom Hearts. Riku's still there and I..."

"I'm still where?"

Sora jerked violently with shock and spun around. Riku, arms crossed over his chest, stood looking at Sora with mild amusement written over his face. "You coming up with wild stories again?" The silver haired teen sighed. "Jeez, I thought you'd grown out of that."

Suddenly dizzy, the world spinning in more directions than he could name, Sora plummeted to his backside and sat utterly still, his stomach churning as things seemed to slide around him of their own volition. He knew this was wrong, all wrong, but why was he the only one who seemed to feel that way?

"I...I'm not meant to be here..."

"Sora, are you sure you're alright?" Kairi asked, kneeling next to him in the sand. "You know you're not meant to push yourself after the accident and all."

"Maybe we need to take you home," Riku added.

Sora's staring eyes locked on to Kairi before switching to Riku and then back again. "Wh-what accident?"

He saw Riku and Kairi share a highly concerned glance. Riku crouched in front of Sora, his worried eyes boring into Sora's. "The storm, remember?"

"Of course I do!" Sora burst out. "I saw you and Kairi being...being...taken away..." He clenched his fists tightly. "Stop looking at me like that!"

Riku's eyes fell away but he wasn't finished talking. "You sneaked out of home to come here and check on our raft but a tree was struck by lightning and it fell on you. No one found you until the next day and it took you a week to wake up."

Sora's voice was little more than a quiet, plaintive protest. "No...that's not it..." He rubbed his aching head. There was something hovering in his mind...but the more he tried to grab it the further away it went. What was wrong with him?

What was he forgetting?

"Sora, that's the truth," Kairi said, taking his hand into hers. "The doctor said you'd probably never remember but it's true."

Wanting to stand but unable as his head continued to turn loops, Sora still managed to have a thought flash through his mind. He reached into his pocket, belatedly noticing he was dressed in his old red outfit, feeling around for a Keychain. None...there weren't any.

Cursing slightly, earning shocked looks from his closest friends, Sora looked at them with something akin to desperation in his eyes. "Please, you can't tell me you don't remember everything that happened. And you can't tell me it was all a dream!"

"That's it," Riku said, climbing to his feet and pulling Sora with him by the shoulders. "We're taking you home."

Sora's mind grabbed another straw. "Fine, but tell me why we were building a raft!"

Kairi blinked, cocking her head. "To go to the desert of course. You know everyone's forbidden us."

"If I didn't know better I'd say our families made that storm to stop us," Riku added with a slight laugh, trying and failing to lighten the mood.

 _...quite what...had...in mind._

A screeching pain slammed into his temples and Sora clutched his head, the agony sending the world into faster tumbles. Hands grabbed him and he looked up through wincing eyes to see Kairi looking at him with tearful worry. "Don't worry," she said softly. "We'll take you home."

 _...not...had..._

"Kairi," Sora managed to say, the world growing rapidly darker. "What's happening to me?"

He never heard her answer.

In the library of Hollow Bastion, a small crowd had formed. Kairi looked from Aerith, to Cloud, to Yuffie (who offered her a wide and excited grin), to Leon and finally Cid. All of them knew the story and were incredibly keen to help out. She couldn't help her little smile. Suddenly, despite Sora being in a kind of trouble that terrified her, Kairi felt hope a little more keenly.

"The best thing to do is for us to break into smaller groups," Leon said. "We'll cover more ground and information if we do that."

"I'll take the lab area," Cloud said, waving his hand at the books. "I don't think I'll be much help up here."

"I'll go with ya," Cid spoke up, walking over to stand with Cloud. "I ain't one for stuffy libraries."

"Yeah, intelligence isn't your thing huh Cid?" Yuffie smirked.

"Exactly why you're comin' down with us," the engineer retorted.

"Damnit..." Yuffie muttered. "I'll get ya next time Highwind!"

"Yeah, yeah."

"I'll stay in the library," Donald announced. "Goofy can go down to the labs."

"I want to go too," Kairi spoke up. "I..." she didn't know what else to say. She just had to do something, anything.

"Maybe next time," Leon told her. "We don't know what's down there and it could be dangerous."

"Yeah, and I for one do not want to be the one to explain to Sora why we let his gir...er...friend get hurt," Yuffie added with a nervous grin.

Kairi nodded and stood with Aerith and Donald. "I guess." She smiled faintly. "I do sort of remember this place," she continued, her eyes taking in the shelves swamped with books. "Maybe I'll spark off a memory that can help us."

Leon gave her an odd look but turned away when he realised Kairi was staring back at him with unguarded curiosity. "Let's move," were his only gruff words and he left.

Cloud and Cid walked alongside one another in quiet conversation but Yuffie was quick to catch up with Leon and attempted to engage him in a mostly one-sided conversation. Goofy trailed merrily behind, seemingly content to be left alone.

"Let's work our way up from the bottom," Aerith suggested as she walked back to the staircase.

"What exactly should we look for?" Donald asked, waddling after the lady in pink.

"Books about the Heartless, Keyholes, Keyblades, the different worlds…anything like that I suppose," Aerith replied.

Suddenly the size of Hollow Bastion's library seemed a rather daunting challenge. Kairi swallowed a sigh as her eyes began reading the binders of each and every book. Some of the titles were a little creepy. Maleficum, Dark Summons, Revenge: A Guide… This stuff wasn't for light reading and yet, Kairi mused with a strange smile, all this seemed perfectly suited to the life Sora had been forced into.

Still, that didn't really mean she wanted to have to plough through it all.

"Let's work for an hour," Donald suggested. "We can meet up at the desk underneath the stairs after that and look at what we all found."

"Good idea," Aerith agreed.

In one dark corner, Kairi began to pull volumes off the shelves. She didn't know if they'd help but at least now she was doing something.

This time, she'd be the one to bring Sora home.

Sora looked around his room, caught between happy nostalgia and deep misgiving. There was no way this could be real. There was no way, no way at all, that he had just dreamed of all those places and people. Donald and Goofy were real.

But, then, did that mean all this was…

"Sora?"

His eyes turned from an invisible seed of thought to his bedroom door. How had he forgotten?

"Mom!"

The door flew open and like a blur his mother shot into the room and wrapped her arms around him, her hug real and yet lacking.

"Kairi told me what happened," she said softly, stroking his hair. Her voice, it trembled ever so slightly. "Please sweetie, please don't go out again."

"But I…"

"No!" Something vaguely hysterical became apparent in her tone and Sora finally pulled himself free of her embrace. He was alarmed to see tears standing clearly in his mother's eyes. "No, please you have to stay here until…until…" she had to swallow and take a deep breath. "Until everything's fine again."

"But everything is fine. I just had a headache and I'd kinda been dozing on the beach having…" He frowned, "having a weird dream…"

His mother made something that sounded like a strangled sob and he turned to her just as she clamped a hand over her quivering lips. Her eyes, so full of tears, held something far worse. Fear had settled within her.

Was she afraid of him? Afraid of his so called delusions?

What could that possibly mean?

For now, at least, he figured it was best to not alarm his mother any further. He didn't want to be the reason she looked like she was on the edge. "You're right. I'm sorry. I've just been…you know…weird since…since that day." He forced a smile. "I'll be alright soon I'm sure."

… _mind…_

His hands massaged his temples, the pain being slingshot between them better than before but still a nuisance. His mother looked at him, that tight smile looking even flakier.

"Mom I…"

She lurched at him, grabbing his head and holding it tight enough to add to Sora's already present headache. "Don't listen to the voices Sora! You know they're not real!"

"Wh…what are you talking about?"

… _isn't…_

She released him as suddenly as she'd grabbed him. "I'm going to get the doctor. Wait here!"

"I don't need a doctor Mom!"

She slammed his door shut and Sora shot out of his bed when he heard it being locked. Since when had his bedroom even had a lock?

"I won't be long Sora. Just stay in bed and when I come back the doctor will help you just like before."

Sora managed to swallow his questions. The last thing he needed to do was antagonise his mother further. Although if he followed through on the plan formulating in his mind, Sora knew his mother would probably suffer her first heart attack.

If this was for real.

That did it. Sora was out the window and sprinting away as fast as he could. He knew going back to Kairi and Riku on their little island wasn't a good plan and he needed to avoid the town and any other place nearby where his face might be recognised.

Sora was only vaguely aware of how insane he would truly look if everything everyone else had been telling him was true. But he just couldn't accept the idea that he'd dreamt everything he considered to be his recent past – mostly because he knew he couldn't imagine so many wild and new people and places in such perfect detail. Not that he didn't appreciate everyone basically suggesting he had a pretty awesome imagination. It was really quite a nice compliment, he thought with a smirk.

Wait.

Where did his recent past even end?

Sora picked his destination and knew which quiet streets to take to get there safely. All the time he was running over everything he could remember. And as it turned out, the last thing he recalled was going to sleep one night on that long and winding green road after Ansem had finally been defeated.

Was there anything else? No.

Dusk was settling quietly over the island, the birds falling quiet and the nearby buildings filled with the sounds of people settling down to dinner. It was all so normal, so right and yet Sora knew, as instinctively as he knew he was male of the species, that something was very wrong.

He wasn't meant to be here. He didn't want to be here.

His feet almost failed him. What? What did he mean by that? Why didn't he want to be here? Here was home, here was family and friends and…Kairi. This was where his whole life was…

But that had been before everything else had happened. Now, coming back here, back home seemed…seemed…

Groaning at his own time-wasting thoughts, Sora put it all out of his mind. He had to get to the dock.

 _...quite what..._

There was only one place he would be able to hide out until he'd thought of something.

 _...quite what...had...in mind._

Bursting out of a street and onto the dock, Sora jumped down into the nearest rowboat he found, not caring that he was stealing someone else's property. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered.

He didn't belong here.

Or…

As he began pulling out of the dock, he heard someone scream his name. Looking up he saw Kairi running toward the little wooden pier, crying out for him to come back.

"No," he murmured to himself. "This is all wrong."

…was it that he couldn't belong here anymore?

The dock – and Kairi – shrank into the distance.

This wasn't quite what his mom had had in mind.


	24. Chapter 24

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Twenty-Four

He wasn't entirely sure he could believe he was doing this. It seemed insane on a level even Sora couldn't quite comprehend and he'd done a few loony things in his life.

It had taken him a good few hours of solid rowing to reach the desert island and night had quite definitely taken a hold over everything. The cool air was mercifully gentle on Sora's sweating body and even helped calm the raging headache he'd had since he'd run away from home. Breathing slowly, he stood beside one of the pools of sand where the yellow ground was rippling and bubbling like thick water. His memory seemed to be doing the same thing. He was suspecting that something had happened to him after that long and winding road where his recollections of his recent past seemed to end. He was definitely forgetting something but what that something was for the moment insisted upon eluding him.

Typical. When had his life, in recent times, been anything close to simple?

Sora sat down beside the quicksand, pulling his knees to his chest and resting his chin on them thoughtfully. Before now, all he had wanted to do was get things done fast so he could get home to where he belonged. But now he was here, everything felt wrong. He felt trapped and no one would listen to him. Something had happened to leave him here but what? How could he escape and go back to where he was meant to be? He didn't want to stay here, he couldn't.

But what if he was wrong?

If he was wrong…

No, no and no again. Not possible. He couldn't be wrong. This had to be wrong. It had to be! There were things to be done and nothing could be accomplished here. Well, nothing except Sora being locked away in a tiny cell for the rest of his life.

He almost laughed at himself. This was crazy! He didn't have to worry. This was all fake somehow. Okay so that's great.

How could he escape?

"Sora?"

Kairi's voice was the last thing Sora had expected to hear and in a flurry of sand he spun to face her. "What are you doing here?" He demanded without bothering to hide the aggression he felt.

She took a nervous step toward him. "Sora you have to come back with me. Your mom is going crazy with worry and…"

Sora turned away. "I'm sure she is but she isn't back there."

"What are you talking about?"

"This isn't real!" When Kairi let a sob burst out, Sora had to bit his lip to keep himself from apologising. His fingers curled into fists. "Stop crying! We both know this isn't right."

"Yes, it isn't right. You're ill. You hit your head and since then you've been living in a dream world."

Sora shook his head, laughing to himself. "I appreciate the compliment but I don't think my imagination is that good."

"But Sora I…"

He finally felt strong enough to face her eye to eye. His heart quailed at the sight of her tears but he didn't back down, didn't try to make up for his previous harsh words. "Kairi I don't want to be here."

"Look I know you wanted to leave but…"

He stepped toward her. "No, you don't understand. I don't want to be here because I'm not meant to be here."

Kairi's face crumpled and her tears fell unhindered. "Why? Why do you think that?"

A lance of agonisingly precise pain shafted through his brain. His left hand rubbed his forehead as he bit back cries. "Because I know you're all lying to me but I can't remember where I was before."

"You were in an accident!"

"No I wasn't!" Sora bit each word off, glaring at Kairi. "I wasn't and you know it." Ignoring the pain as best he could, Sora pulled his hand from his head and it joined his other as he made a grab for Kairi's wrists. "Stop doing this to me. You know there are things I have to do!"

"Yeah, like come home and get better!"

"No." The pain jumped, taking over more of his mind. "No!"

"Don't you like me any more?"

"What?"

Kairi looked at him, her face blank. Even her tears were gone. "Am I not important to you anymore?"

"Of course you're important to me! How could you ever think you weren't?"

"Oh I don't know. This maybe?"

"This is something I have to do."

"Why can't you stay? I mean really, what makes you want to leave so badly that you're willing to terrify your mother and upset your friends?"

Sora paused. What could he possibly say to that?

"I can't explain…"

And he couldn't.

Kairi began to look angry. "Then come home!"

"No."

 _This wasn't quite what she had had in mind._

Sora's head gave a jolt and he felt something trickling over his lips. Licking them, the unexpected taste of warm blood filled his mouth. His hand fled to his nose where the blood was slowly trickling out.

Kairi's voice took on a gentle, caring yet pleading tone. "You're sick and you need to rest. No one will look at you differently when you come back. They won't act like you're…" she faltered.

Sora filled the gap. "What, they won't look at me like I'm crazy? Too late. My Mom is scared of me!"

 _"A very merry unbirthday to me!"_

Sora took a few steps backwards, his feet sinking away. Before he could stop, his was stuck in the sand up to his waist. His descent slowed but refused to stop. He had always thought the sand would be warm but it felt as though he'd jumped into a pool of ice.

The ice fractured.

"…hurry! Take my hand!"

It felt like…

… snow kissed his bare cheeks and crept through all available nooks and crannies his clothing didn't protect.

"Sora hurry!"

He was trapped up to his chest. If he wanted to he would have been able to yank his arms free and reach out to Kairi. But he didn't. Something was happening. His head threatened to split apart and the blood was less of a trickle and more of a gush but things were coming back to him.

"Please Sora! Don't make me be the one to have to go home and tell your Mom you're dead!"

"I'm sorry Kairi but you're not real. This isn't real."

The redheaded girl looked as though she would scream with frustration. "But it is! It is! You're really here, you're not on some great adventure and you really are sinking into sand. You're going to…"

The sand was up to his neck.

 _"Is this what you want? You'd rather die than stay?"_

"Yes." It was barely more than a whisper.

His head went under the surface.

Everything was so white and soft and cold it seemed as though he was sinking through the snowy clouds.

"No!"

"You need to breathe."

"This lot is going to take forever to go through."

Kairi had to agree with Donald. The books they had gathered had taken over the entire table and spilled over onto the chairs that surrounded it. There were books on the Heartless, books on the Keyblades, books on Keyholes, books on different worlds and books on myths and legends…

"Just in case," Aerith explained with a smile.

"Maybe we should take a break before we start reading," Kairi suggested, sounding hopeful. "You know, freshen up a bit?"

She felt tired and knew that the instant she sat down she'd be asleep. Hopefully Aerith would be able to point them all in the direction of the nearest pot of sweet tea.

"I agree," Donald said, winking at Kairi. "There's no point us reading all of that lot without having a full belly and a rest."

"Well, there's a kitchen across the hall. Cid accidentally hit a switch a few months ago and we found it," Aerith said with a smile. "He's always doing things like that."

Books left safely (and gratefully) behind, Aerith led Kairi and Donald to the conveniently located kitchen. It wasn't a particularly grand room. In fact by Hollow Bastion standards it was really quite tame. About the size of an average downstairs floor of an average home on Destiny Islands, it was a sombre blue colour and all the work surfaces and cupboards a sober grey. Aerith dug out a white teapot, some mismatched cups and spoons while Kairi immediately began searching for anything edible. Donald stood by and watched, deciding to wait until he was asked to help.

"I've got some herbal teas," Aerith said, rooting through a drawer. "And some fruity ones."

"Oh, fruity please!"

"Is that alright with you Donald?"

"Sure. Is there food?"

"Um…" Kairi delved deeper into cupboards. "Yes I think so. There're some biscuits and some…ooh cheese. Ah, and crackers."

"Sounds great. I'll go find plates," Donald replied and waddled around the kitchen.

Kairi came to stand by Aerith who was busy heating water over a stove. "What have you all been doing since…since you came back to live here?"

"Trying to make this place liveable for all again. No one else came back but that doesn't mean no one ever will. Besides, there are still a lot of dangers here. Ansem was a very cautious man. Many of the traps he left in the basement around his lab and around his personal rooms are still active."

"Traps?"

"Pitfalls, gases, dangerous weapons…."

"Ouch."

"Very. Cloud and Leon have been helping Cid clear them all up but it's taking a very long time."

"Everything worth waiting for seems to take a very long time."

Aerith gave Kairi a sidelong look. "You'll find him."

"I know. But it's taking so long."

"He can take care of himself."

"Oh I know. He's always been like that."

Aerith took the saucepan off the stove and poured the hot water into the awaiting teapot. "Now, would you like orange or blackcurrant?"

Kairi blinked. "What's blackcurrant?"

"You've never had blackcurrant?"

"I don't know. I don't think so."

Aerith slipped in the blackcurrant teabags and stirred them. "I hope you don't mind blackcurrant Donald," she called.

The wizard might have made some kind of response but the sound was muffled, lost in the cupboard Donald's head was lost in.

"So, tell me more about Sora," Aerith said. "Is he always so…cheerful?"

"I showed you the one place you truly want to be. Why couldn't you accept it? Isn't that where you want to be more than anywhere on all the known worlds?"

Sora opened his eyes and found himself in a blank black space, Alice standing in front of him with her hand still resting on his forehead. "Why did you do that?"

"I said I'd show you Wonderland. Everyone's is different."

"You got it wrong."

"I didn't."

"Whatever. I've had enough. I want to get out of here."

"No."

Wordlessly Sora threw the blond girl away. "You're not Alice."

"Just like that wasn't home?"

"Stop talking and let me go."

"Have you not begun to understand a single thing?"

"This is old."

Alice walked away, lecturing as she went. "Everything is so much larger than the simple grasp you have. There is so much happening and yet it's all going completely over your silly head."

"I'll figure it out."

Alice laughed. "Forgive me if I doubt that. What I showed you is so much more than your heart's true desire."

Sora gave her a bored look. "I'm sure it was but I don't have time to stand here and figure it all out."

"You were awfully strange to be so unhappy. I'd have thought you would have been delighted to see the ones you love."

"That wasn't my home and they weren't my friends and family. Did you really think you could fool me?" Sora shook his head. "It doesn't matter anyway. That wasn't the place I want to be."

"You're right – you don't want to be there. But that was your home. Did you truly believe that when you were done waltzing around with that Keyblade of yours that you'd just be able to go back to the way things were before?" Alice cast a glance over her shoulder, smirking before she continued on her way. "No, of course you didn't think. You never do. You just keep going, always seeing the biggest picture and failing to see all the other things that are even more important."

"Are you trying to be helpful?"

"Oh, goodness knows why!"

"Whatever."

"We both know that as soon as this is over, and alas it shall be, things are going to…oh how does my mother put it? Things will play upon your mind until something," Alice waved a hand. "…snaps."

Sora stalked forward, and before Alice could react, the keyblade was slamming into her chest.

She smiled at him. "Well, there you go!" Lifting her hands above her head, she clapped a single time.

The darkness was gone from all but the starlit sky and blindingly white snow coated the ground and bushes around him. Sora shook his head, seeing specks of blood fly off into the snow. Alice's hand fell away from his head and he finally realised his hand were clamped around the keyblade, the tip of which pierced the Heartless girl entirely, coming out through her back. She looked up from the weapon and into his eyes, her white face a frozen, sly grin. Her crimson blood was changing the snow, burning it black but never melting it. She grabbed the keyblade just below where Sora held it.

"If you're going to kill me, finish it properly." She pulled the blade and with gurgling, wet crunches it dug deeper into her body, ripping pearly skin. "One more thing, before I die. " She placed a bloodstained palm on Sora's cheek, pulling his ear closer to her mouth. "You know those strange words you sometimes find in the Keyholes? Allow me to fill you in on the next line: The one who is most feared by all the Heartless. I'm sure that makes more sense to you than it does me." Her smile grew faint. "Then again, perhaps it doesn't."

Alice fell backwards, body tearing itself free and hit the snow. Her blood spread out around her like blackened wings, her blond hair steadily becoming a sickly auburn. Her blood dripped from Sora's face until he tiredly wiped it away along with the blood that still dripped from his nose. At least his monumental headache was starting to subside.

"Sora, you okay?"

Startled, he remembered that Zidane and Red had been trapped in a cage and turned to face them. The cage was gone and the pair walked toward him. Sora pretended that he didn't see the shock or alarm in their eyes at his bloodstained state.

"Let's…" Sora cleared his throat, his voice in the real world still not quite back to normal. "…get to the Keyhole." A chill worked its way through him, causing him to shiver. "Sooner done…sooner we leave."

Silently Red and Zidane fell in to step behind Sora. Red took a moment to check that Alice was dead but he need not have worried. Her body was slowly sinking into the marred snow. Hurrying to catch up with Sora and Zidane, Red barely avoided crashing into Zidane's tailed posterior because he had stopped dead on the threshold of the aptly titled Bizarre Room.

To Sora's eye very little had changed. Even the snow had failed to find a home here. Not waiting for Zidane to stop looking and get out of Red's way, Sora headed for the doorknob where the Keyhole hopefully still resided.

It did but there was no trace of the drowsy talking doorknob's face. It looked like any other door in fact. Sora gave an inward shrug. It didn't matter. Sealing the Keyhole was all that he cared about right now. After that he'd be pretty pleased to get back aboard the Highwind and drink several cups of hot tea and bury himself under a mound of warm blankets.

"You know," Zidane mused as Sora held the Key out, "this all seems a little too easy."

Light shot from Sora's appointed weapon and the Keyhole locked with a resounding clunk. Job done, the Keyblade fizzled away.

"Nobody move! Under the orders of Councillor Tsuko you are under arrest!"

Slowly Sora turned to find that he, Zidane and Red were being held at gunpoint by three black-clad soldiers, each of whom looked as though shooting to kill would not be an issue.

"I believe we may have just jumped out of the frying pan and in to the fire," Red observed neatly.


	25. Chapter 25

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Twenty-Five

"On your knees! Hands behind your head! Do it!"

"Couldn't you at least attempt something a little more original?" Zidane drawled, doing as ordered with all the airs and graces of an offended thespian. "And sound more like a person and a little less like a robot?"

Sora choked on laughter, just about managing to sound as though he was coughing. He kept his eyes down and avoided all contact, sinking agreeably to his knees. Beside him, Red hunkered down as well.

"Just use your imagination," Zidane advised.

One of the soldiers stepped forward and shoved the gun in Zidane's face. "How's that?"

Zidane raised an eyebrow. "Still lacking tact."

Tact came in the form of a bloody nose and a split lip.

"Bastard," Zidane muttered, spitting bloody saliva from his mouth.

Red stepped in before the tailed teenager dug himself in any deeper. "Zidane would you please shut up. You aren't helping."

The soldier standing in the centre of the trio, apparently the man in charge, reached to his belt and pulled out three pairs of handcuffs. He tossed them to the ground in front of Sora, Red and Zidane. Sora looked at them in confusion. What were those for?

"Put them on," the commander ordered.

Zidane was the only one who moved to do so. He pulled his hands from his nose, blood webbed across his fingers, and picked the metal objects up. Red meanwhile was shaking his head. "You should know handcuffs really aren't applicable to me." He waved his front paws. "No hands and wrists you see."

"Oh that's right," the lead soldier said, shaking his head. Sora was instantly wary and a peek at Red told him he wasn't alone in his suspicions. "We've got special orders for you." The soldier raised a hand and Sora saw a familiar but very unwelcome flash of green. "Sleep."

Red blinked heavily and was sinking down before the spell had finished weaving around him. Sora swallowed, forcing his brain to plot a course of action. If only he hadn't left Ultima on the ship and if only his summons hadn't returned to their home worlds. There had to be something he could do.

"You!" Sora looked up and saw the gun and then the soldier yelling at him. "Put those handcuffs on!"

He shook his head. "I don't… k-know how." The combined chill of the air and his broken voice made him sound as if he was terrified. His ego took a blow. The last thing he wanted was for a bunch of soldiers to spread the word that the kid they were looking for was nothing but a glorified liar.

At least the three soldiers sneering at each other gave him a chance to finally come up with a very rough course of action.

The soldier who had given Zidane his bloody nose grabbed the cuffs from the chequered floor and yanked Sora's arms behind his back. Sora looked over at Zidane, the look in his eyes saying 'be ready'. Zidane didn't give any acknowledgement but Sora knew his friend would be ready. As his wrists were about to be bound together, Sora managed to twist his hands in order to cup them. Without uttering a single word, a ball of light glowered for a single instant before Thundaga illuminated the Bizarre Room. The three soldiers took direct hits as Sora leapt to his feet and summoned the Keyblade to his cold hands.

Zidane was close behind. No one had paid him much attention and had failed to realise he hadn't locked his hands in the cuffs. His daggers were in his hands and he was already heading to cover Red, slicing apart the gun of the soldier who nearest the downed creature.

Sora took on the leader who had recovered from the lightning with frightening ease. The man didn't even bother to cast a healing spell. He just charged right at Sora, bullets ripping through the air. Aeroga protected Sora but he cast Firaga to melt any ammo that looked as though it might break through his weakening shield. He was quick to knock the gun out of the soldier's hands but his opponent was highly trained. Sora took the man's brief lack of concentration to cast Aeroga around Red to free up some of Zidane's attention but he was quickly drawn back in to his own battle when he felt a blast of ice slam into his chest. Cold enough already but feeling the chill sneak between his ribs, Sora placed a hand on his chest and melted the ice with a low level Fire spell. He didn't look up in time to protect himself from the left hook that smacked him hard in the cheek. Teeth feeling as though they'd moved an inch, Sora overemphasised the power of the attack by hitting the deck. Head kept down, Sora listened intently for the soldier's footsteps, each of which clomped on the ground arrogantly. His hand tightened around the Keyblade and as the man came to a standstill above him, aiming a kick at the teen's chest, Sora tapped into his deepest power reserves and unleashed Trinity Limit, the first time he'd used his ultimate attack without the help of Donald and Goofy. His magical energies connected with Red and Zidane, drawing on a little of their powers and adding to the attack's final blow. Blinded by the whitest light, all three soldiers met agony with an assortment of cries and yells. The light dispersed and the three soldiers were as unconscious as Red. While Sora paused to catch his breath, Zidane was quick to destroy the guns and the PHS' carried by the three men. Then he set about handcuffing them and just for good measure Zidane used each man's belt to bind their legs together. When Sora was feeling a little less drained he aided Zidane's quest to drag each soldier into the fireplace. Sora searched the men's pockets just in case Zidane had missed something and was glad to find two Elixirs and three Ethers. He tossed Zidane one of each and kept the rest in the pockets of his jacket.

"We need to block the chimney somehow," Zidane mused holding a hand to his chin once Sora had stepped away from the prone men. "The furniture in here is way too big for us to move around though.

Sora solved the problem. After swigging down an Ether he pulled Zidane back a few steps and cast Blizzaga, a huge sheet of ice blocking the opening.

"Very nice. Especially for someone who's so anti-freeze."

Grinning, Sora returned to Red. "How…c-can we…w-wake him?" he asked. At least he was starting to string coherent sentences together, Sora mused briefly while Zidane crouched beside Red.

"I don't know," Zidane admitted. He grabbed the PHS from his belt and dialled the Highwind. "Shake him or cast Blizzaga or whatever while I get us a ride outta here. They'll be others like those three around before too long."

While Zidane spoke to someone on the ship, Sora tried to wake Red. He'd never seen a sleep spell before. Donald sure hadn't used such magic and if anyone could it'd be him. Sora wished he'd paid a little more attention to Donald's lessons on magic because maybe then he'd be able to rouse Red. Shaking, talking (Sora couldn't yell) and even Blizzard spells weren't waking the oblivious creature. Even Thunder had no effect.

"The Highwind has an ETA of five minutes," Zidane announced, placing the PHS back on his belt. "And they can only pick us up from the forest."

Sora pointed once again at Red. "We have a…a problem."

"More like another problem on top of all the others we already have. The Highwind is gonna have trouble getting close. Tifa said there are blockades around this world. We've gotta be in place and ready to move or we will be screwed."

"Suggestions?"

Zidane poked Red a few times with a finger between the ribs but to no avail. "We need something like Esuna to wake him up and neither of us can cast that."

"So…"

Zidane sighed. "I'll carry him."

Once Sora and Zidane had manoeuvred Red in to position they headed back into the Queen's garden and hurried through the quiet snowy space into the Forest. Footsteps wounded the snow in all directions and over the gently falling flakes voices could be heard. Sora and Zidane took to the bushes, forcing their way through as carefully and quietly as they could. No holes opened up to swallow them and they managed to avoid being spotted by the teams of soldiers that often went running by in a clipped format. Sora's shivering stepped up a few notches. Night had fallen all over Wonderland and the temperatures were plummeting to subzero levels Sora had previously believed impossible. His face was utterly numb, his back felt as though his vertebrae were fusing together and the tips of his fingers were starting to go numb and clumsy. It was getting harder to move but even when he and Zidane had to hide behind trees Sora made sure he was jogging up and down on the spot. If he didn't he would probably freeze.

Thoughts of hot drinks, bottles and blankets kept him optimistic. Soon the snow would be just another unpleasant memory.

A muted trill came from Zidane's belt, announcing the Highwind's imminent arrival. "We'd better take out chances and make a break for the open," he murmured quietly. "If anyone comes you'll have to take care of it."

Sora nodded and took the lead, keeping low but running for the clearing where he, Zidane and Red would finally leave Freeze-Your-Butt-Off-Land. And as they broke free of the tree line, the Highwind was shooting down from the sky. Giving up all pretences of stealth, Sora and Zidane sprinted for the ship as it landed. The hatch slid open and Yuna stood there, waving madly.

"You over there! Stop!"

Not even daring to look back Sora made a dive for the ship and skidded through the gaping hatch, Zidane with Red close behind.

"Sora, Sora!" Yuna called, fumbling in a pocket. "Tifa wanted me to give you this!"

She pulled out his Ultima Materia. But something else stole Sora's attention. He frowned, seeing a pinprick of red light on the little girl's arm. Zidane saw it too but as he was opening his mouth to yell a warning, the shot rang out. Yuna screamed in agony and Ultima went flying. Sora dived to cover her as another shot slammed into the wall, catching the green orb as he went. Anger flared within him, his knuckles white as he clamped on the Materia as hard as he could. How? How could someone shoot a little girl? A little girl who did nothing but help people? Looking out as the ship began to pull up, Sora saw the lone gunwoman who was already preparing to take yet another shot at the child.

 _No._

 _No. Even I can't condone such hateful action._

 _Do something._

 _Yes, do it. Hurt her. Make her pay._

Azure fire burning in his eyes, Sora discovered summoning Ultima this time was a great deal easier. The magic sang with his rage. Pulling Yuna close to his side he held out his hand, emerald fire blazing to life with an eager, piercing shriek. The hatch was closing but not before Sora was rewarded with the sight of the woman being consumed in a green inferno.

 _Beautiful, isn't it?_

The hatch sealed before Sora could see the spell's final outcome but his attention was back on Yuna, his almost exhausted magic scrapping itself together to cast Curaga.

There was blood everywhere. On the walls, on Sora…flowing from Yuna.

 _Such power contained within so much grace._

"It hurts!" she wept, crying with everything she had in her. "Sora it hurts!"

"Ssshh. I'll help."

But you know what's best about Ultima?

"I don't want to die!"

"You won't!"

 _Do you want to know what I love, truly love, about Ultima?_

Without even bothering to let Zidane see her, Sora held Yuna tighter in his arms and ran for the medical bay. He could feel warmth finally bleeding into his frozen body but it was a warmth belonging to Yuna and the warmer she made him, the closer she got to being in serious danger. He kept whispering for her to hold on, that everything was going to be fine and he truly hoped he wasn't lying. He practically flew into the medical bay and the on duty doctor looked up from a crew member with a nasty burn, her eyes widening with horror when she saw Yuna bleeding in Sora's arms.

 _I love the death it brings._

Ordered to lay the child on the bed, the doctor ordered Sora away and began grabbing all the things she needed to make Yuna better. He returned to the corridor, legs shaking, just as Zidane came running.

 _I think you do too._

Sora's back hit the wall and he sank down to the ground, knees drawn up to his chest. He felt sick with anger, swallowing the nausea back down whenever it tried to rise up. He hid his face beneath his arms, hot tears coursing freely down his cheeks. He kept asking how could someone hurt a child, how how how how how?

"Sora I'm sorry. I couldn't warn you fast enough."

 _Sorry, I must've digressed. Caught up in the moment. Poor child. This is your fault. That's what I meant to tell you before Ultima carried me away._

Sora slid the bloodstained gloves off his hands, throwing them as far from himself as he could. He refused to look at Zidane. He didn't want to see the man's pity. He could still hear Yuna crying.

 _Your fault._

He knew.

"She'll be fine. You moved her fast enough."

Sora was beginning to feel light-headed, the use of Ultima catching up with him. The heat in his body continued to build, his clothes soaked through with snowmelt and blood.

 _You have the blood of an innocent on you. Does it feel bad? You'll have to explain it to me. I mean, sure I've got blood but the blood of a child? No, not me. That's just you._

"Come on, let's just…I think you need to get some new clothes."

Sora's fists punched the metal ground. His hands pressed down flat before turning into claws as if he hoped to rip the metal free and throw his anger into the hole he'd create. He'd never felt so horrified in his life. He just kept hearing her cries, her pain, over and over again. He could feel his body shaking.

What was he messed up in?

A hand landed on his shoulder, shocking his tremors away. "This won't solve anything. Come on, Yuna's in the best hands and she'll be very unhappy if you see her in mucky clothes."

 _Mucky clothes. Bloodstained clothes. There's no difference._

Sora shoulders began to tremble, the sobs still silent. He heard Zidane crouch down next to him, his hand sliding down Sora's arm. "It's okay. It's not your fault."

 _It is._

"You're…wrong."

Sora found himself being hauled to his feet but he kept his face down, tears still rolling down his flushed face. Zidane said nothing, just took Sora someplace else. Sora didn't fight his friend. He was tired and drained; his anger had already turned to deep sadness and he was already trying to force that down to the darkest corner he could find within himself. Sora's eyes stuck to the ground, his brain blurring out the parts of his body he could see where the clothes were…

Mucky.

 _Exactly._

"Okay, have a shower. I'll go find some clothes."

Zidane disappeared and left Sora to climb into the shower. The water was warm and it was only then when Sora remembered to take his clothes off. He did so, chucking the utterly drenched items into a soggy pile. Sora sat on the shower's floor, not really trusting his legs to hold him up. The water felt wonderful, piercing the chill Wonderland had thrust into his body. And yet he still felt numb. His heart seemed to have taken a step back from everything, leaving him to see the world through eyes that didn't have much emotion attached.

"I'll leave your clothes here and be gone again. Feel free to go back and check on Yuna when you're ready."

Sora lot all track of time, sitting on the shower floor with the lovely water crashing over him. Eventually he decided he was bored (about the same time he shut the lid on his most poignant emotions) and up he got, turning the faucet off and towelling himself nice and dry. He pulled on the jeans Zidane had left out for him and discovered that they were at least two sizes too big. Luckily Sora found a black belt beneath the grey t-shirt but the jeans still hid his feet from view and had enough room in the leg for at least one other person. Taking a deep breath, his heart stepped up and back came his emotions. He all but ran from the shower room and headed back to the medical bay, knowing the route but not really recalling Zidane leading him from there…well maybe it had been a few minutes and maybe it had been hours.

 _Hours. About two._

Sora stepped back into the room he'd left Yuna in, coming face to face with the same doctor. She knew exactly who he was and why he was back.

"Don't worry, she's fine. I got the bullet out and cleaned the wound. It's a good thing you got her here so fast young man. She's sleeping at the moment," the doctor pointed to a bed lying behind a partition. "But you can sit with her. I think she'd like the company."

Nodding, Sora stepped behind the partition and looked at Yuna. She was deeply asleep, brown hair splayed all over the pillow. The wound was covered in a big white bandage and her clothes had been replaced with nondescript green pyjamas that were far too big for her. Taking the chair beside the bed, it didn't take long for Sora's guilt to be overridden by his own exhaustion. His eyes closed and he drew his legs onto the chair, curling up as best he could.

 _I don't think you're going to sleep very well._

He yawned.

 _But when do you ever?_

"Red still asleep?"

Tifa looked up and saw Zidane walking on to the bridge. She smiled, the expression thin. "I think Barret went to cast Esuna."

"Yuna's going to be alright. I checked in with the doctor before I came."

"And Sora?"

Zidane shrugged. "Shell-shocked but he'll come out of it. I left him in the shower almost two hours ago."

"I should talk to him."

"No, just leave him be for a little while. I think he'll be okay."

"I still have something from his pockets." She pulled the Keychain out. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Very. I'm sure he'll thank you for giving it back."

"Yeah." Tifa put the delicate object back in her pocket. "So anyway, we're on route to Neverland."

"Not Halloween Town?"

"That's a last resort."

"Yeah, one we'll have to visit once we're done with Neverland. Hollow Bastion had people crawling all over Wonderland and Sora and I attacked three. Four if you count the one who shot Yuna. That is not going to look good."

"I know but we're going to Neverland."

"Any rum going around?"

"We'll have to get in and out as fast as possible."

"You're still not leaving the ship. You are hobbling."

"I know but we had to keep moving the ship while you were making more trouble…"

"Hey, that's Sora's fault."

"Don't let him hear that."

"Oh…"

"Anyway, we had at least two tails but we lost them both. Chances are the council are going to double if not treble the people they've got out looking for us now and our next two worlds are too close to Hollow Bastion for comfort."

"We could always land the ship on Neverland. Hide it in London. The city is abandoned."

"Yeah, maybe."

"I reckon we could fit it in that train station…"

"Which one? Victoria or Kings Cross?"

"The biggest one."

"It's debateable."

"Whatever. We'll check them both out."

"Cool."

The pair fell silent but it didn't take Tifa long to grab her crutches and start making her way off the bridge, leaving it in the crew's capable hands. Zidane followed her, the pair taking it slowly.

"I feel terrible for them both," Tifa said as they waited for the elevator to arrive.

"Evil has many ugly faces."

"It does and I know Sora's seen so much yet there's this instinct inside me screaming at me to hide his eyes."

"Maybe you'll have to just make up for him by being doubly cautious with Yuna."

The lift pinged.

"Maybe."


	26. Chapter 26

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Twenty-Six

Tifa and Zidane stepped in to the medical bay. The doctor looked up at them, smiling slightly in greeting.

"How is she Shera?"

"Don't worry, she's going to be fine. Our new friend got her here in time."

"Where is Sora?"

"He's sitting with Yuna…but I think he's asleep. He hasn't made much noise."

"Well, his voice is still a little damaged."

"Ah yes of course. Red did tell me."

Zidane poked his head around the partition. "Nope, you're right Doc. He's asleep. Jeez, that looks uncomfortable."

Tifa poked her head around. "How did he tangle himself up like that?"

"I don't think we want to know."

"Shera have you got a spare blanket? He looks cold."

"He didn't like the snow much," Zidane explained while Shera grabbed a thick red blanket and passed it to him. "I get the feeling he's from somewhere hot."

Tifa took the blanket and laid it over Sora. "Red seems to think he's from Destiny Islands."

"Whoa really? That explains his snow issues."

"Yeah but Zidane, come on. Destiny Islands. Everyone knows about that place."

"I know what you're getting at…"

"How could he come from there?"

"We don't even know if it's true."

Tifa carefully sat down on Yuna's bed, her eyes on the sleeping girl. "We'll have to ask him."

"That could be really, really messy."

 _Mirrors. That's what the ice was like. He could see his unsmiling self looking back into his own eyes._

 _I don't like that._

 _We do._

 _I usually smile more._

 _We don't think you should._

 _He sat down on the ice, poking at it with a finger. There was something in the ice. What was it? Scratch, scratch, scratch. The castle stood below him – he could see it when he changed the focus of his eyes._

 _This is old._

 _You want something different?_

 _I want to wake up._

 _Maybe later._

 _Blood welled out from where he had been digging away. The ice was blood. The ice was blood and it was already cracking._

 _No._

 _Yes._

 _No not that._

 _Yes, just that._

 _No!_

 _A shadow fell over him. He turned. Him again._

 _"Haven't you even begun to wonder?"_

 _Blood washed over his feet._

 _"Doesn't it even begin to make you worry?"_

 _He looked at the hooded figure tiredly. What else could he do?_

 _"Why do the Heartless bleed?"_

 _Crimson water washed over him. He reached for the air, pulling himself out of the lake._

 _Lake?_

 _He sat in a bath in a white room._

 _White?_

 _There was blood everywhere. If he looked up he could even see it on the ceiling. The ceiling that was a mirror. A mirror that showed him drenched in hot, thick blood._

 _No._

 _Yes._

 _No!_

 _He pulled himself out of the bath, his clothes stretched and heavy, his feet bare. He slipped and skidded, slapping into the floor. Every time he tried to stand and get to the door he fell back down. The blood stuck to him, the taste in his mouth and the smell up his nose. His stomach twisted itself into knots._

 _Please…_

 _Don't beg._

 _Stop this._

 _It sounds so pathetic._

 _Fine._

 _He pushed every last vestige of energy into his next leap and he made it to the door, grabbing the handle and holding on for dear life._

 _Don't go out._

 _Too bad._

 _He pushed the door open._

 _You won't like it._

 _He stepped out._

 _You didn't before._

 _More blood. So what?_

 _Where are you?_

 _He looked._

 _Her home isn't so nice these days._

… _Why are you doing this?_

 _Because it's the truth._

 _"Because you refuse to see it any other way."_

 _It's only a dream._

 _A trail of blood was following him out of her bathroom, down her hall and down her stairs. When he opened the door to her house, he found himself inside the castle gardens, standing beneath a dead tree._

 _Do you understand?_

 _"Do you know why the Heartless bleed?"_

 _No. I don't care._

 _Fool._

 _The ground opened up beneath him. He fell into icy water._

 _"If you won't accept the truth…"_

 _We'll never let you go._

"Well, we think there's something in the labs but Cid said he's gonna need a day or two to disengage the trap down there. It is not pretty. "Yuffie made a slicing gesture over her neck. "I for one am not gonna lose my head because Ansem left us a nasty surprise or…fifty." She snagged one of the crackers Kairi had brought to the library and ate it in a single bite. "Oh, but we did manage to find some more of Ansem's notes and stuff."

Cloud placed a brown leather book upon the table. Fraying black ribbon kept it shut and held in all the sheaves of paper that were poking out at all angles. "I'd better get back and help Cid," he said. "He thinks it'll take a day to clear the path to the study."

"Do you think they'll be anything useful in there?" Kairi asked, peeking out from behind a huge book.

Cloud shrugged. "There could be. Ansem was a scientist first and a leader second."

"Yeah, he's bound to have researched something like this at some point," Yuffie said, pushing books out the way and planting herself on the table. "And if there's nothing in that study there are millions of places it could be."

"That's not very comforting," Donald muttered, not looking up from the text he studied.

"At least we still have lotsa places to look," Goofy pointed out cheerfully.

Aerith nodded. "Exactly. Hollow Bastion has a lot of places to hide things."

"And if we don't find anything here we can start searching the safer labs," Kairi pointed out. She looked at Cloud, forcing her shyness away. "Maybe tomorrow we can look in the one you and Cid are making safe?"

"Maybe."

"Well I'm off to hunt down Leon," Yuffie said, sliding to her feet. "He said something about checking out some of the royal chambers. I think I've given him a sufficient dose of loner angst for today."

"Royal Chambers?" Kairi's eyes lit up. She gave a hopeful smile. "Can I come?"

"Well I dunno…" Yuffie drawled.

"Go ahead," Aerith said. "Donald and I are fine."

"And I can help too," Goofy offered.

"Perfect!" Yuffie's hand patted Kairi's shoulder before she linked arms with the younger girl. "I'll take good care of you."

Kairi rolled her eyes. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Hey, maybe I'll even give you some basic training. You could use some toughening up."

"Really? That'd be so great!"

The two girls left the library, chattering amicably, with Cloud who was quick to head back out the main doors. Yuffie led Kairi in the opposite direction, the pair coming outside on one of Hollow Bastion's many balconies, heading up the stairs to the lift.

"I bet you never thought you'd be coming back here," Yuffie said, tapping the crystal that would bring the lift. "If I were you I would be glad to see the back of this mausoleum."

Kairi managed to laugh, unconsciously tucking her hair behind her ears. "You're right. Trust Sora to drag me in to a mess. He's hopeless."

"Oh yeah. But he's also the luckiest guy I ever met…and I've known some lucky people in my day."

"You're not that much older than me."

"Yeah well, we've lived very different lives."

"I guess. I don't really remember my early childhood but I don't think I was a ninja or anything like that."

The lift arrived. "Really?"

"Yeah. My earliest memory is waking up on Destiny Islands. No one knows where I came from before."

"That's kinda cool. You've got an enigmatic past. A guy must really dig that."

They stepped on to the lift. "Sora never stopped asking me questions. He was fascinated with everything but I could never give him any answers. Instead he just filled the gaps with his imagination."

"Yeah, and look where it all took him."

Kairi bit her lip. "It's taken him so far away. And Riku. He's gone too."

Yuffie blanched, realising she'd put her foot in her mouth. "Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

Kairi shook herself. "We're doing something about it. It's about time I stopped crying."

The lift came to a stop and the girls walked off. "At least you came to the right place to find some answers."

"Yeah. But if only it this place was…"

"Smaller?"

"Exactly!"

Sora awoke with a jerk. For a moment his heart pounded, seeing red splashed across him. But the instant was gone; sense replaced fear and the splash of red became a thick blanket.

"Did you have a bad dream?"

Unfurling himself, Sora met Yuna's eyes. "No. Are you okay?" He discovered that if he kept talking quietly he could speak without his voice breaking.

"Doctor Shera said I'm going to be fine and it doesn't hurt and all the blood has gone."

"Good."

"If you like you can take her to her own room." Shera pulled the partition back. She turned to her little patient. "Would you like that Yuna?"

The little girl sat up carefully, making sure she only used her good arm. "Um…I…"

"I could stay with you," Sora offered, standing up and stretching. His bones popped and creaked.

"Tifa wanted to talk to you Sora," Shera said. "She was here earlier and asked me to tell you."

"Well, I'm gonna stay with Yuna."

Shera winked. "I'll pass on your message."

"Thanks."

Yuna reached out with her good hand and slipped it into Sora's. She got up slowly, clearly dizzy.

"Maybe I should carry you?"

"Um…okay."

Sora lifted Yuna off her feet, picking up the red blanket and wrapping it around them both. His bare feet were like blocks of ice, tendrils of the chill finding their way through his veins. He walked slowly to keep Yuna's wound from jarring and to lessen the pain of his hypersensitive feet.

The cold was making his ankles feel as though his feet had become mere stumps of bone, cut off at the heel and while each step grew slower the agony never lessened.

The memory was hard to shake off when it was already a reality. Yuna was uncharacteristically quiet, resting her head on Sora's chest. He felt awful. It was his fault Yuna was suffering.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

Yuna stirred, her voice sleepy. "It's okay. Zidane said I'm gonna have a really cool scar and everyone will be jealous."

"Oh, yeah, I'm totally jealous." Sora hoped he was a good liar. "When did Zidane visit?"

"While you were sleeping."

"Oh."

They fell silent and Sora stepped into the lift, keying in the living quarters level. His thoughts returned to the dream and he couldn't stop the shudder running through his body. There had been so much blood. He really had been covered in it lately. There had been blood all over Yuna. Troubled, Sora held Yuna tighter.

"I'm okay, really."

She was freakishly perceptive, Sora decided.

"I know. But I was worried."

"Hey, your voice sounds like a lot better."

"If I stay quiet it's okay now. But if I talk louder," his voice grew in volume. "It…c-cracks."

"Ooh that's not so good."

"Yeah, it's kinda annoying."

They arrived on the right level and Yuna directed Sora to her little room. It had been decorated very nicely for a girl: pink blankets on the bed and flowers on a shelf by the door. The pots had pictures, probably drawn by Yuna, of strange looking animals Sora had never seen. They were coloured in bright blues, reds, yellows, pinks and lilacs but Sora still didn't know what they were called. His old excitement about seeing new things on new worlds resurfaced, a strange feeling to him these days. He shook himself. No time to get lost in thought.

There was a soft toy on the bed. "Does he have a name?" Sora asked as he set Yuna down.

"Oh that's Valefor."

"I've never seen anything like that before."

"He's an Aeon," Yuna said as Sora pulled her sheets back.

"Huh?"

"Like a summon, you know?"

"Oh, right."

"On my world I was meant to become a summoner but the Heartless came before I could. But maybe someday when I'm older I'll still be able to."

Sora tucked her in. "If that's what you want then I'm sure you'll be able to." He held out her soft toy. "You can be the best summoner ever."

She laid down and took her Valefor, hugging it close. "You're really gonna fix all the worlds?"

"I hope so."

"Did you really do it before?"

Sora sat down on the bed carefully. "Yeah, I guess."

Yuna snuggled down as best she could without tugging her wound. "Tell me about it."

So Sora began to tell of his first great adventure. He told her about Donald and Goofy and all his other friends. He left out the painful parts but he still managed to weave a tale that kept Yuna awake a little while longer. But she fell asleep on Agrabah and Sora was silent, his voice needing a well-earned break. The quiet was so peaceful and Sora was content to just sit and let his mind drift off on to nothing.

"You're very good with her." Sora looked over and saw Tifa slipping quietly in to the room. "You're like her big brother."

"If I were her big brother I'd never have let her get hurt."

Tifa was careful to sit without disturbing Yuna. "We all make mistakes."

 _Have you been counting yours?_

"Too many," Sora murmured.

"The thing to do is accept you made a mistake and move on."

 _How…_

"I know."

… _quaint._

"Oh, I almost forgot. Here, I think this is yours." Tifa held out her hand, the Oathkeeper resting there.

Sora took it, thanking her. Relief seeped into him as he held it. Warmth grew in his hand and he slipped it in to his pocket. Kairi would never have forgiven him if he had lost it. And he would've felt a little less happy if it had never been returned.

"If you ever need to talk I'm always here," Tifa smiled. "Talking about things is a lot better then just bottling them all up until you blow. And you don't have your perfect excuse anymore."

"That's true."

Tifa didn't stick with gentle humour. "There's a lot we need to talk about, isn't there?"

Sora looked at her, feeling nervous. "Yeah I guess."

 _Do you enjoy pretending to your so-called friends that your secrets just don't exist?_

"I'm not entirely sure where we should start…"

"Somewhere."

Tifa shot him a crooked grin. "Funny kid."

"I try."

"So, when we're done with the next world you promise we'll sit down and you can fill me in on everything I missed?" Tifa looked at him, her expression entirely serious. "And I mean everything."

"Sure."

 _Ha, like you're telling the truth._

"Good." Tifa sighed. "If only Zidane were so easy to crack."

Uncomfortable, Sora was quick to change the subject. "So, where are we going?"

"A place called London."

"London?"

"I never knew this place was called London. I figured it was all called Neverland."

Sora stood in an ancient, abandoned train station with Zidane and Barret. He had managed to grab a pair of grey and blue trainers and a big black hoodie (the front of which demanded _Are You From Twilight Town?_ in bright white letters) before leaving the ship. The cold from Wonderland still hadn't completely faded from his body so the warmth from his baggy clothes was greatly appreciated.

To avoid any Hollow Bastion ships Tifa had commanded the pilot to hide the Highwind in one of the station's empty tunnels. A nearby sign told them they were in London's Victoria Station. The building seemed ancient and looked as though no one had disturbed it in decades. A clock stood above a broken announcement board, announcing it was 11pm but the second hand didn't budge.

Everything seemed dead.

"Ever feel like you stepped in to one of those old brown photos?" Zidane asked.

"No," Barret and Sora replied.

He sighed. "Lost," he lamented. "My humour is just lost."

The station was the colour of golden brown rust where metal could be seen. The wood was rotting and turning black. The windows were grime encrusted and Sora wasn't sure if he could see the sky or if were all just dirt. Occasionally in the distance something crashed or groaned but nobody ever appeared.

"To the Underground!" Zidane declared and began marching.

"The what?" Sora asked. "What's the Underground?"

"Once there was a train that used to run under the city," Zidane explained.

"Lots of trains," Barret corrected. "But then the Heartless came."

"Do you have any idea where the Keyhole is?"

"Uh…big clock. I…" Sora blushed, scratching the back of his head. "I forgot its name."

"Big Ben?" Barret offered.

"Yeah, that's it. We'll just fly up and…"

"Fly? We?" Zidane stopped walking. "There is no we. Just you."

"Fly? You can fly?" Barret scoffed. "What have you been smokin'?"

It might've been hard to find but one happy thought later and Sora was hovering inches off the ground, golden light sparkling around him. Barret wiped a hand over his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, who's been smoking now?" Zidane smirked.

Sora grinned, folding his arms over his chest. "So how about I fly over, seal the Keyhole and fly back?"

Zidane considered the plan. "Sounds okay but what if the Heartless come?"

"PHS?" Barret suggested. "I always carry a spare."

Five minutes later and Sora was flying over London, the entire city a silent shell. In the early morning light, he could the broken city. It wasn't that different from Traverse Town – buildings derelict and damaged and not another soul in sight. Once he was high enough in the air Sora could see Big Ben, the clock face still proud against the cold sky.

 _Here's hoping you're not…_

A black, cloaked figure flew up. Sora put his breaks on and stopped in time to avoid crashing in to the huge Heartless.

 _Do you know what this means?_

With a heavy heart, Sora answered the voice only he could hear. "I know." He summoned the Keyblade, paying close attention to the colour of the Phantom's heart. "Where will I find him?"

 _The ship._

"Thank you."

 _You won't be able to seal the Keyhole until you see him._

"All right."

 _And if you try to defeat my Phantom right now, your friends will die. This one's mine. I created it. It'll do what I tell it._

Sora lowered his weapon. "What?"

 _Stop. It'll save them. And don't worry about the clock, it's not where the spell is needed. Aren't you lucky I'm in a good mood. Don't waste it._

Without another word Sora shot back towards the station, hoping he'd beat the clock.

"What the hell izat?"

Zidane looked over from the shop window he was peering in to. "What are you talking about?"

"There's summin' above your 'ead."

Zidane's hands found nothing. "Okay I thought I was only kidding about you smoking."

"It's a number!"

Throwing his hands up, Zidane turned to Barret. "Are you hallucin- oh."

"What?"

"Number over the head right?"

"Is it a twelve?"

"No, eleven."

"Yours is a twelve."

"What?"

"You have a number over your head too!"

Both looked up when they heard footsteps pounding in their direction. Sora came running, alarm in his eyes.

"Done already?" Zidane asked. "Cool. Let's get out of here before anything else appears over our heads."

Sora tried to yell at them but his voice wasn't up to it. Instead he had to wait until he stood in front of his friends. By that time both the numbers had hit ten.

"You're under attack by a Heartless!" His quiet voice was breathless. "I have to cast Stop on you. If I don't the numbers will count down to zero and I think you'll die."

"Whaddya mean 'think'?"

"I don't have time to explain!" Sora held out a hand. "Stopga!"

Barret and Zidane froze into fleshy statues, their unblinking eyes locked onto Sora. He had already grabbed the PHS and was calling the ship.

"Barret?" It was Tifa.

"You have to come to the station."

"Sora?"

He hurriedly explained the situation. "I don't know how long my magic will hold. Someone has to be here to keep casting Stop otherwise they'll die!"

"I'm on my way."

"I can't stay. I have to go."

"Alone?"

Sora was already flying out of station. "We were gonna talk after this, right?"

"Yeah." She didn't sound happy.

"I'm sorry."

Tifa sighed. "It's okay."

"It's just…"

 _Are you really going to tell her?_

"There's someone I have to see before I can help Zidane and Barret."

"Someone?"

"He was my friend once. I don't know how he's here but I have to help him."

"I swear when we leave this world I am going to lock you in a room so you can explain all this!"

"Fine! Whatever. But I have to go." And he turned the PHS off, barely resisting the urge to lob it.

Hopefully he'd remember the way to the ship.


	27. Chapter 27

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Twenty-Seven

The ship looked as though it were barely keeping itself afloat. Sora surveyed it from the moonlit air, not entirely sure if his weight would be supported. It began to pour hard, the sea applauding as the raindrops slapped its surface. Sora shivered, noticing that the ship was devoid of even a single light. Two of the masts had crashed into the water, taking out massive chunks of the deck. He looked to the door that led to Captain Hook's office, seeing it close on a swish of black cloth. He tried to call out but his voice broke and no words came forth.

His next dilemma wasn't too far behind.

Happy thoughts failed him and he plummeted to the deck, falling where he had had the misfortune of standing on a trapdoor the last time.

He didn't really have much more luck this time either.

The wooden deck didn't break his fall – it just broke. He landed in a puddle on his feet but soon overbalanced and hit all fours, the shipping tipping forward to aid his slump. The rain fell with increasing fervour and Sora pulled his hood up, dulling all sounds to a rasping hush. For a strange moment Sora almost missed the mute snow but the feeling quickly left. He was already cold enough and he didn't really want to reach the chilly depths ice brought. He huddled up in his damp hoodie as he got to his feet. At the very least he could attempt to stave off another cold.

The stench of rot filtered up Sora's nostrils but after a few more breaths the smell became less nauseating. Around him the ship groaned and shuddered, the wood too tired to hold together for much longer: water was trickling through cracks in the wood with alarming speed. Stepping out of the wreckage he'd created, deciding to get all of this over and done with, Sora headed for the cabin's door. The cold alerted him before the hand stretched through the door. Sora leapt back and the Keyblade sprung in to his hand. The Heartless stepped through the door, the ghostly pirate hovering between Sora and his escape. It didn't take much for Sora to dispose of it, the Heartless barely putting up a fight beyond a few defensive parries. It didn't sit well with Sora and he headed for the door with a wary stride, sending the Keyblade away.

Cautiously he stepped into the larger corridor, the rain left behind. The air was cold and damp and the floor rocked, leaving Sora to teeter his way across the hallway. There wasn't another Heartless in sight but there was an unnatural frostiness in air. Heading for the ladder, Sora climbed up it, his stiffening hands struggling to hold tight. As his eyes peeked over the edge, he found his missing Heartless. Standing in a cloud, they all turned and looked at him, their eyes strangely hidden. It seemed as though the pirates didn't have any facial features, just a blank space. And they weren't attacking. Aside from the shimmering of their bodies not a single pirate budged an inch. Sora stepped up to the floor, eying each Heartless suspiciously. He could feel the chill of their bodies so he kept as far back as he could. He held out his hand, expecting the Keyblade to appear so habitually that his imagination hallucinated the warmth of it. But hallucinations weren't solid and when the weapon didn't appear Sora wondered if maybe he'd stepped into one of his dreams. He tried again, touching that place in his mind that always brought the Keyblade to his hand. It didn't work. Panic slithered into his stomach. This was a very, very unwelcome development. The Keyblade refused to awaken.

"And it never will."

Riku's voice floated down from above, the hatch open but the ladder little more than an elongated toothpick.

"If you want to know what's changing you should meet me in the captain's cabin."

Sora heard footsteps walking away. "Wait!" His voice was more or less normal although it was still a tad husky and maybe even a little deeper. "Riku don't go!"

"I'm only upstairs. The Heartless won't attack you. I asked very nicely."

"But…"

"Don't be such a kid." And with that Riku was gone.

Sora eyed the Heartless nervously, troubled beyond anything he'd ever known as they all shifted out of his way and revealed the door he had to pass through. He couldn't quite believe he trusted the Heartless to not hurt him.

The still Keyblade refused to appear.

Okay, Sora grudgingly admitted as he passed through the door, so maybe trusting the Heartless wasn't totally far out.

The ship gave a wail before tipping dramatically starboard. Sora had made it through the door and there was nothing to hold on for. With a cry he fell to the right, hitting the ground and rolling until the flimsy hull smacked into his back. It gave an ominous tremor before the wood began to splinter and water began rushing in, soaking Sora's clothes. The boat tipped to port before finally righting itself but the water continued to gush in, the planks of wood further along the hull looking as though it wouldn't be long before they too buckled under the pressure. Sora got back to his feet, his stomach curling around itself unpleasantly. He hadn't suffered from seasickness in years thanks to spending plenty of time on fishing boats back home but the combination of hideous smells, roiling waves and unpleasant visuals were making Sora feel more than a little sick. The wood was covered in slimy green mould, the foul substance sticking to his hands like mucus. Wiping the muck off on his jeans, Sora aimed for the shelves on the opposite side of the small galley where he could climb into the cabin above. He half-walked, half-skated over the slippery deck. Rain was pouring in from a crack in the deck above, turning the galley into a paddling pool. His trainers had no grip whatsoever, the rain turning the mouldy deck into a skating rink. Outside a storm was gathering its ferocity and the ragged hole occasionally cast broken shadows as lightning glared in from outside. Already there were free-floating chunks various unidentified gross substances bobbing along in the bilge water. After nearly falling for the fifth time Sora splish-sploshed his way to the back wall, hanging on to it with his fingertips so he could stay on his feet as he headed for the way up. By the time he made it across he was soaked from foot to knee. The water was playfully leaping up to his shoes as he jumped up and grabbed the lip of the deck above. Lifting himself up with minimal effort, Sora found the cabin relatively unscathed although he wouldn't want to lie down on one of the bunk beds because chances were bedbugs would bite him. The sheets were writhing with lice and maggots and the reek of dead fish was overpowering. The ladder was still in place and Sora all but ran up it, slowing himself down only because the wooden framequivered madly with his every step.

Riku stood at the piano idly tapping a few broken and tone-deaf keys. "For someone on a very tight deadline you take your time," he observed coolly.

Sora stepped onto the soiled carpet, brown water squelching underfoot. "Riku why are you here? Do you know why everything's so different?"

"There's no time for that. Here." He reached in to a pocket of his black leather duster and tossed something small at Sora. The younger teen caught it, his hand clasping around what looked like the Oblivion Keychain.

"How did you get this?"

Riku stepped away from the piano. "To summon the Keyblade from now on you'll have to use that. But before you try I ought to tell you that summoning Oblivion requires something to be in your heart."

Sora shook his head. "Riku what are you doing?"

The silver-haired boy shrugged. "How about you just listen? The clock will be ticking again soon."

Sora didn't say anything, just swallowed a sigh and looked away.

"Oblivion requires darkness. The Keyblade needs a little darkness in your heart if you are to use it."

Sora's head shot up. "What?"

Riku stepped up to Sora's side, balancing easily as the ship rode high on a wave. "One other thing."

Sora stumbled, grabbing the wall to keep from falling as the boat descended again. "No, no, what do you mean about the Keyblade?"

"Hollow Bastion has a very nasty secret brewing in its basement and sealing this world's Keyhole will only add to its power. I don't think you'll want to see the destruction this weapon can unleash."

For a single moment, everything seemed unnaturally silent. Sora reached out to grab Riku, as if he thought he could drag his friend away to the Highwind with him. Riku smiled, the expression beyond frozen. Sora's heart sank. There was nothing there, no spark of mirth in Riku's eyes. Instead the emerald eyes narrowed and the smile became a sneer. Cleaved wood ruined the quiet and adding to the concert was an almighty screaming from the sky as lighting exploded in the clouds and struck the ship's last remaining mast. The room around them began crumbing, planks popping free and rain rushing in.

Riku's hand slapped down on Sora's shoulder. "Looks like time's run out. You'd better get on."

Lightning blotted the world out. When it came back, Sora was flying over the sea, the ship gone with the storm. He called out a few times for Riku but his friend had disappeared. His confusion was punctured by the shrill call of the PHS and Sora pulled it free of his pocket, not recalling when he had turned the thing back on.

"Sora where are you?"

"Tifa?"

"Are you okay? You sound kinda dazed."

"I'm fine. I'm heading back to London now." And to ensure he wasn't lying Sora flipped in the air and shot through the sky back to London.

"Did you see your friend?"

"…Yeah."

"And?" She sounded exasperated.

"Oh. Yeah. He gave me something."

"Well that's great. Look, there's something huge floating around Big Ben."

"I know. I have to kill it if Zidane and Barret are gonna be okay."

"Red seems to think it's a Heartless."

"He's right."

"He seems to think there's something a little…unusual about it."

"It's powerful…"

"That's not what he means."

"Well what?" Sora felt impatience shoving the seasickness from his stomach.

Tifa sighed. "Forget about it for now. Can you defeat it alone or do you need help?"

Sora held his other hand open, glancing at the Oblivion Keychain. "I'll take care of it myself." He hung up and this time to stay alone he let the PHS fall into the sea just as clouds were beginning to embrace him.

 _Will you really summon Oblivion?_

"I suppose."

 _If it comes, you know what it means._

"I do." He tried to ignore the ache in his chest.

 _Are you ready to deal with that?_

"Yes."

 _There's really no point lying to me._

"I will be."

 _Everyone has to. Even you, no matter how unique you may be._

Below Sora the clouds were clearing and London was beginning to appear. "I'm no different from anyone else."

 _Of course not._

"Who are you?"

 _You know who I'm not._

"No I…"

The Phantom appeared suddenly, sweeping up from the murky river Sora flew over. He could see Big Ben not too far off, behind a grand building Sora suspected had once been used for important business. The heart held by the phantom was white, indicating Sora could attack.

 _I'll leave it like that too. Should make things easier._

Sora opened his hand, not realising until he did that where he had been clutching the Keychain so hard it had bitten in to his skin and drawn blood. He'd never felt so uneasy about calling the Keyblade before. Wasn't there another way? He held the Kingdom Keychain but it was deadened somehow, the spark that made it special gone like all Sora's other Keychains. But he just wasn't ready to summon Oblivion. Not until he'd tried something else. Ducking the Phantom's sweeping arm, Sora flew down to the streets of London. The roads were strewn with rubbish. Old newspapers, brown bags, glass and big, rusting red buses looked as though they'd been left behind and forgotten about by people and time.

 _You're wasting your time._

Sora stepped onto one of the buses, running up the stairs. The metal pole connected to the roof from the top stair caught his eye and it didn't take long for Sora to rip it from its aged bolts. Holding it tight he shot back in to the skies over the river where the Phantom waited. Holding the pole like a bat, Sora swung it forward as the Phantom streaked toward him, arms held out for a deadly embrace. He was certain the pole would connect to save him from harm.

The metal passed right through.

 _It'll never work. I told you before, the Heartless are my creations and they'll behave exactly how I want them to. You don't have a choice. Summon the Keyblade._

"No!"

Black filled his vision. The Phantom swamped him like an oil slick and he couldn't find his way back out. Beyond the darkness all Sora could see was the white crystalline heart. He knew he only had one option but that meant…

 _Your friends don't have much time left. Are you willing to sacrifice them all?_

Something twinned around his waist and legs, binding them together to stop Sora from kicking out. He tried to free himself but his hands couldn't find anything to grasp on to and the harder he struggled the tighter his bonds became.

 _Time is running out._

"Ha, you sound impatient," Sora sneered, stilling his hands. "I thought you wanted me to die."

 _You understand so very little._

"So I've been told."

 _Save yourself. I won't help._

The bonds coiled over his waist and slipped around his ribs. The pressure wasn't much yet but it wouldn't take long for it to have the power to break bones.

 _We don't have time for games._

"We?"

The vice around his ribs squeezed, the pain clamping Sora's teeth together. Struggling to hold his arm up, he reluctantly held his hand ready. With a purple glimmer, its edges tinted white and black, Oblivion came to rest in Sora's grasp. Forgetting to think, he acted on instinct and thrust the blade through the darkness and into the white heart. The darkness shrank back and London reappeared. The pain in his chest a memory and his legs free once more, Sora didn't allow the Phantom to skulk back to Big Ben. He shot after it, Oblivion held ready to attack. Diving down, Sora arced his trajectory to come up from below. The Phantom was too large to dodge the attack and its heart took another battering. It's banshee-like roar echoed over the empty city, washing over the landscape to seek out any ears that might be open. Sora clamped his hands over his own ears, the sound stabbing his skull. Below, windows began to smash and the most rundown buildings shuddered as tremors tore through their foundations.

"Silence!"

Emerging from the underground station beside Big Ben, Sora saw Tifa's hands cupped around her materia. That instant the screaming stopped and Sora pulled his hands from his ears.

"Finish it off!" Tifa yelled. "Zidane and Barret are both down to two!"

The Phantom slapped Sora from behind, sending him tumbling through the air until he smacked into the side of the clock tower. He took an uppercut and barely managed to control his flight and avoid impaling himself on the clock's down-pointing hour hand. The Heartless was already bearing down on him and Sora knew that while he was in the air he couldn't utilise any of his special attacks.

He soon sorted that.

Balancing on his toes on the very tip of the minute hand (it was pointing roughly at twelve), Sora aimed and unleashed Ragnarok, all the blows missing but the attack's finishing beam blast achieving six concussive blows. The Phantom was left reeling and Sora took his chance to deliver the final attack, pushing himself off the clock face. Holding Oblivion behind his head, Sora twisted in the air and swung the Keyblade with all his might, ramming the Phantom as he went with the momentum of his flight. The heart burst into a thousand shimmering fragments and the Phantom fell, it's cloak fluttering limply to the streets below.

Sora turned back to the clock, the Keyhole beginning to appear. His stomach tightened. What about the weapon Riku had been talking about?

"Sora I just got a call from Red!" Tifa yelled from far below. "He said the numbers above Zidane and Barret have gone. Seal the Keyhole and we can get out of here!"

Oblivion throbbed, ready to lock the world, smoky purple light curling up his arm. Sora still hesitated, forcefully stopping the weapon from sealing the Keyhole. What about Hollow Bastion's secret?

 _What about the Heartless?_

"Like you care about that," Sora muttered.

 _One of your options is the lesser of two evils. You should decide before your good-looking companion gets suspicious._

"Is everything okay up there?" Tifa hollered.

"Yeah, don't worry. I'll be right down." Sora looked back to the Keyhole. Quietly he added, "If there's something wrong in Hollow Bastion, I'll do something about that too." Sora relaxed and allowed the Keyblade to seal the world. "I can't let anything happen to these worlds."

 _A wise decision._

The Keyhole slammed shut and faded away. Something remained, it's glow glittering off the clock's dim face. Sora flew to it and recognised the box immediately. Taking hold of it, he drifted down and came to a stop by the Underground station where Tifa was waiting.

"Is that…"

"Another piece of the poem? Yeah." The light faded as Sora cracked open the lid. A single torn fragment of paper rested inside.

"The one who wields the mightiest weapon of all," Tifa read. "You know when we get to the ship we'll have to put all the pieces together and remind ourselves what we know so far."

"Yeah, all I remember is what Alice told me."

"Alice told you something? Zidane didn't mention that."

"He didn't hear. Sorry, I forgot to tell you before."

"Don't worry. Let's get back to the ship where we can all sit down with coffee and you can fill in all our gaps." Tifa didn't look amused. "You've got some explaining to do."

"I know."

She sighed. "I barely know which question to ask first."

"That's good because I don't really know where to start either."

"Well let's get back. I hope you don't mind walking but I could use the company." Tifa started heading back down the stairs of the station. "You know, I'm starting to feel like we're all getting a little lost and I'm not sure why."

Sora held his arms over his head, taking a deep breath. "We've got to stop the Heartless."

"I know but I just don't get why the Council is so against this."

"They think I'm going to destroy everything."

"I know, but why?"

"I don't know."

Tifa looked at him. "There's something I need to ask you."

"Alright."

"The Keyblade…it looked different."

Sora tried to hide his own dismay but as his arms sank back to his sides he didn't do a very good job. "My…friend. He gave me something. Without it I couldn't summon the Keyblade."

"You don't seem very happy."

Sora looked at her, no trace of levity in his tone. "I'm not sure I should be using it."

"Why not?"

"Riku said Oblivion needs darkness."

And that's exactly what it'll get.

"I don't think there's meant to be any in my heart but..." Sora trailed off, looking at the floor.

"What?" Tifa stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

Sora summoned the Keyblade, its black surface sleek and eerily beautiful. "If my heart was all light I wouldn't be able to do this."

He wasn't sure if he'd ever felt so wrong about himself. But then did that mean…

Had Ansem been right?


	28. Chapter 28

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Twenty-Eight

The Highwind hit the air before the hatch had closed behind Sora. Watching London fade behind the cloud cover he wished he could leave his newfound anxieties in the dead city. Sometimes he wondered how he ever managed to sleep given that his mind was teeming with worries and cares. Other times he just wanted to find something to pummel. Maybe a pillow would suffice? Deciding he wanted to be alone for a little while, Sora moved towards the lift. A heavy hand on his shoulder stopped his legs.

"Briefing room, now."

"Tifa I…"

She steered him on the path to the lift but she had no intention of letting him go to his cabin. "Oh no, you're not getting out of this. You promised me and now you are going to explain a few things to everyone."

Reluctantly Sora did as he was told. When they reached the briefing room Tifa left him in a chair before stepping back out, locking the door as she went. Seemed as though she was incredibly serious. Sora felt his heart take a plunge. Just how much did they want from him? Folding his arms on the tabletop, Sora rested his head upon them. Closing his eyes he just sat there, thoughts drifting aimlessly but always finding something troubling to gnaw on. Why was Riku on that ship? What was he doing? What about the Princesses? And what could he do about the Council and the mess brewing somewhere in the bowels of Hollow Bastion? Where were Donald and Goofy? Why were the worlds all so different and where had all his friends gone? Why did he hear the voice? Was there really darkness within his heart? Why did the Keyblade need something like that? And… Disgusted with the mess his questions created Sora sat up straight, dispelling the darkness before he lost himself in its ceaseless depths. His hand reached up unconsciously. The danger of doing just that hadn't felt so real since…

The door opened and Tifa returned, Zidane, Barret and Red stepping in behind her. Sora pulled his hand from his chest and tried not to shuffle too much in his chair but the small meeting room was crowded and made him all the more uncomfortable, as if he were on trial for a crime he had committed but wanted to keep secret.

 _Isn't that sort of the truth?_

Everyone took a seat, remaining silent. In his mind Sora began going over events, shuffling them into order like an unruly deck of cards. His story had to make sense in spite of the details he would definitely be withholding. Some secrets were not meant to be shared among so many.

 _Yeah, like the kind that'll make you sound utterly crazy._

"I think we should start with what happened back there," Tifa said. "Tell us about the person you went to see."

"I went to see Riku."

"Riku?"

"He's…I mean he was…" What was Riku? A friend? An enemy? Sora bit his lip, not knowing which to pick. "He was my best friend but he…he turned to darkness." When nobody seemed ready to offer a comment Sora continued. "I don't understand how he's here too. I sealed him in Kingdom Hearts. And I don't understand why he's…why he won't…" Sora sighed miserably. "I don't know why he's acting the way he is. Something's got to be wrong. He was telling me…"

"And what about these women who you keep bumping in to and seem to know?" Red interrupted. "What do they have to do with all this?"

"They're just like Riku; they shouldn't be here either. They're different. They're meant to have the purest hearts but for some reason they've all become Heartless. Well…not all. There are seven Princesses in total and we've only met…" Sora did a quick headcount, "four."

"Whoa hold up. When were there four? Last I checked we'd met two: Jasmine and Alice," Zidane said.

Sora blinked. "Didn't I mention Cinderella and Aurora?" He was mostly talking to himself. "Really?"

"You must've met them while you couldn't talk," Tifa said. "Where was it?"

"On Atlantica. I…I had to…"

 _Say it. It's not that hard._

He swallowed awkwardly. "I had to kill Cinderella." The guilt he had kept at bay for so long began to seep through. "But Aurora escaped."

 _Heh, almost took something pretty important before she did though._

"Why didn't you mention this sooner?" Tifa demanded.

Sora scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I guess I just forgot."

"Forgot that someone tried to kill you? Two someones?"

"Yeah I guess."

"If that's not a sign your life's kinda crazy I dunno what is," Zidane commented as he placed his feet upon the table.

"There's something more important we have to deal with. Riku told me that Hollow Bastion has some kind of weapon that's linked to the Keyholes."

"A weapon?" Barret looked sceptical. "Where exactly would they hide it?"

"Have you walked around Hollow Bastion lately?" Zidane muttered.

"The basement labs," Red mused aloud. "We knew they were doing something down there."

"We never managed to infiltrate them," Tifa replied. "The security is unbelievable. Guards, spells, locks…"

"And don't forget the security passwords," Barret added. "They change daily."

"Who does have access?" Sora asked, grateful he'd managed to change the subject onto less personal issues.

"I couldn't tell ya," Barret responded, leaning back in his chair. "I dunno the whole list."

"Tsuko did," Tifa said, looking thoughtful. "Hmm, did Metsu?"

"I don't think so," Red said. "In fact I'm relatively certain Tsuko was the only Council member who had access. The others were scientists and high-ranking soldiers."

"Sounds like the perfect recipe for a WMD." Tifa looked worried. "Damn, we should've gotten in there."

"What's a WMD?" Sora and Zidane asked simultaneously.

"Weapon of Mass Destruction," Barret explained distractedly. "How could we have missed something like that?"

"We didn't. We just didn't take the threat seriously enough."

"Yeah well there's no point freaking out about it now," Zidane stepped in. "We'll just have to do something about it."

"How? It's not like we can just stroll around Hollow Bastion as we like it."

"Red, Red, Red you're not thinking."

"Oh because that's what you always do."

Zidane ignored the jab. "We'll have to sneak in. Nothing like a bit of espionage to get the heart pumping."

"We should take care of Halloween Town first," Sora reminded the group. "Maybe we'll find another clue."

 _You mean maybe you'll be given one._

"Like another part of that message?" Tifa asked. "I brought all the pieces we've gathered so far." She reached into a pocket and pulled out a small brown file, opening it and revealing the scraps of paper. She tossed Sora a notebook and pen. "You said Alice told you a line too."

He dredged the memory up and scribbled the words down, sliding the pad back across the table when he was finished. He kept hold of the pen, the feel of it somehow odd in his hand. He couldn't remember the last time he'd sat and written something.

 _Strange isn't it, how something so normal can begin to feel so utterly bizarre._

Twirling the pen between his fingers, gaining new ink stains with each rotation, Sora watched as Tifa set the pieces out. "I think this is the right order," she said, hold her hair back as she bent over the desk. "At least it sort of makes sense this way."

"If y'say so," Barret muttered.

Sora found himself saying the words out loud. "A lost heart, Reborn only for destruction, Only for revenge, Only to bring the Heartless. A burning hatred, Rekindled only for one purpose: Bring about the death of one. The one who is most feared by all the Heartless: The one who wields the mightiest weapon of all," he paused. "There's still at least one line to go." He had a pretty good feeling what the final part would say but he tossed the idea on his ever-growing pile of secrets.

Red raised another question. "Do you know who the reborn heart could belong to?"

Sora nodded slowly. "I can think of quite a few."

But one name comes out on top.

"Anyone we might know?"

"I doubt it."

"Doubt or hope?"

Sora couldn't hide his shock at Red's blunt remark. He also couldn't stay quiet. "A bit of both," he answered truthfully.

"Can you give us a name?" Red prodded further.

"I'd rather not." Sora could feel the growing tension in the atmosphere. "Maybe…maybe when we've got the final part. But no, I won't say anything before."

"Being mute would come in handy right about now huh?" Zidane smirked.

Sora blushed. "I don't mean to annoy you or anything it's just…"

 _Repeat after me. I…_

"Um…I…"

… _can't say anything…_

"…because it's almost like the name's…"

… _cursed. It could…_

"…do some serious damage."

"I think I see your point Sora but…"

Red's flow was interrupted by a knock at the door. Yuki stepped in shortly afterwards, looking somewhere between nervous and excited. "We've just had a call from Reina. She's summoned us to Atlantica. She wouldn't tell me all the details but she gave the most important one."

"Which is?" Red sounded peeved.

"Atlantica is moving to take a stand against Hollow Bastion. They're preparing a revolt."

 _If jaws could hit floors…_

"You'd better return her message," Yuki said, walking back out. "You know how grim Reina can be if we don't do as she says."

Zidane and Barret left with Yuki. Sora stood up to follow but a call from Red stopped him.

"There's something else you need to tell us."

Sora figured he had another hundred things to tell. "Alright. What is it?" But they didn't need to know unless they asked.

"Where do you come from?" Red asked. "Which world?"

Sora blinked. What a random question. And there he was thinking he was in some kind of trouble. "Destiny Islands."

"And when was the last time you were there?"

"I don't really know. It's been at least a year I guess…maybe more. I've kinda lost track."

"But Sora that isn't possible!" Tifa burst out. "Destiny Islands was lost about a decade ago, if not longer. It's a stronghold of the Heartless."

"Heartless very different from others," Red went on. "The thing you fought in London is usually only found on Destiny Islands and one or two worlds near it. For a Heartless like that to appear in London is beyond unusual. It's not possible."

Sora felt a defensive instinct stirring. "What are you getting at?" he asked, trying to keep the suspicion out of his tone.

"Heartless appearing like that has never happened before," Tifa emphasised.

"You mean not before I turned up." Sora's arms crossed over his chest. "I guess the Heartless in the Deep Jungle was…wrong too." Red and Tifa stayed quiet. "You think it's because of me don't you?" Still nothing. "I would never do something like that! I wouldn't hurt people!"

 _But what of the darkness in your heart?_

Tifa was slow to speak up. "No Sora we don't think you're intentionally hurting people…"

"Oh so I'm doing it in my sleep?"

"No! But this is another mystery you've given us that we just don't need."

Sora turned to the door in disgust. "I'm not listening to this." He had never known such anger within himself. "I would never use the Heartless and I can't believe that you're even thinking that maybe I am."

"Sora that's not quite…"

"Just leave me alone Tifa. If you don't believe me then maybe one of us has made the worst mistake of their life."

He left without looking back. A few steps out the door and his legs began trembling, tiny shivers racing within his bones. He had to rest a hand on the wall to keep himself moving. Never in his life had he felt or said the things he just did.

Who was he becoming?

"The reason I'm here is to stop the Council from getting suspicious." Reina paced across Atlantica briefing room. Sora sat with Zidane on a desktop, Yuna squishing herself between the pair. Barret stood by a window with Galuf and Yuki while Tifa and Red haunted the room's back row. "We figured if someone like me were here the Council wouldn't suspect any form of revolt."

"We?" Zidane echoed. "You mean the rebels?"

"Yes. Our numbers have finally grown enough for us to pose a serious enough threat."

"Sounds like this is gettin' pretty serious," Barret replied. "How long have you been keepin' this from the rest of us?"

"Oh not long but it was before Sora arrived. People like me who distrust the Council have been leaving Hollow Bastion and joining the Atlantica base. I suppose you could call me a double agent. We know there's something very grim under the surface on that world. Those of us who can have been doing everything to gain as much intelligence as we can but it's been hard. I haven't been able to gain the trust of the right people to get access to the labs but there is something down there and none of us want to be around when it all hits the fan."

"We know it's a weapon," Sora said. "We have to stop the Council from using it. We've got to go and destroy it…whatever it is."

Everyone in the room looked at him. Zidane's eyes were especially full of amazed disbelief. "Are you quite mad?"

"I already told you that the weapon is connected to the Keyholes. That is not good. It could unseal them or maybe even destroy them. Nothing could possibly be worse."

"It's not like we can just waltz in there."

"We'll have to find a way," Sora answered firmly.

"He's right," Reina confirmed. "I don't know a way right now but maybe Terra and I can come up with something. She arrived a short while ago. You still have a world to seal right?"

"More than one," Sora said, ticking off Halloween Town, Traverse Town, Destiny Islands, Disney Castle and even Hollow Bastion as unsealed in his mind.

"I don't think we should wait for you to seal all the remaining worlds before we deal with Hollow Bastion."

"I'll go to Halloween Town and seal it then come back. That should give you time to think of something right?"

Reina nodded. "Plenty of time but I'll need some more help."

"I'll stay," Tifa offered a little too eagerly but her voice was still heavy with concern. "Are you sure Tsuko hasn't begun to get even a little wary? A lot can go wrong Reina. Was this rebellion really necessary? What if this weapon is used against us?"

"That's why we have to discover what it is before Tsuko decides to show us," Sora reiterated. "No matter what, after Halloween Town we're heading for Hollow Bastion."

"Finally some real action!" Zidane's grin was wide.

"We can't just go and attack Hollow Bastion," Tifa still sounded troubled. "There are innocent people there!"

Barret walked over to her. "We're not going to attack," he took her by the shoulders, staring pointedly into her eyes. Something passed between them, something only Red seemed to understand. "We'll come up with a plan and…"

"Espionage. Awesome." Zidane rubbed his hands together devilishly, like he was already scheming the perfect plot.

"I'll stay with you Tifa," Red offered. "We'll be able to come up with something that'll minimise casualties."

"Minimise isn't good enough."

"This is a war," Barret told her. "People get hurt. We all know that."

Tifa closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'll come up with a plan to get us in to Hollow Bastion undetected." She looked up at Barret, smiling slightly. "It used to be my speciality after all."

"Awright," the big man agreed. "We'll be back as soon as Sora's done sealin' Halloween Town."

"Perfect," Reina said with a tight smile. "Four heads are better than two. Red, Tifa let's go. Terra's waiting for us."

"We'd better get back to the ship," Galuf spoke up. "The sooner we're done with Halloween Town the better."

"We certainly left the worst for last," Yuki muttered.

Sora didn't want to know what they meant by that.

Sora, Zidane and Yuna sat at the back of the bridge, the ship shooting through space towards Halloween Town. The two teens held mugs of hot tea in their hands while Yuna sipped juice through a straw. They huddled together as if members of a secret society, a game of Tetra Master waiting to be played in the centre of their exclusive circle.

"When do you think you'll start talking to Tifa and Red again?" Zidane asked as he tossed a Ragtime Mouse card down.

Sora blew some of the steam from his tea. "When I'm feeling a little less angry."

"Why did you fight?" Yuna asked around her straw, her eyes on her cards.

"Yeah, I asked Red but he wouldn't talk. Told me to mind my own business. Figured you'd fill me in."

"Sorry. I don't want to talk about it."

"That bad huh? Wow and I thought…ack! Yuna when did you get so good at this game?"

The little girl giggled. "I've been practising loads and loads while you've been busy. Plus I got really bored 'cause Doctor Shera wouldn't let me out of my room but I'm allowed out now that my arm's better." She smiled as she shuffled her cards. "So I reckon I can beat everyone on this ship!"

"If you can beat Zidane I'm not playing you," Sora told her with a smirk. "I'm not that good."

Zidane threw down another card. "You suck."

Sora mocked a look of hurt. "Thanks."

"Aw it's okay Sora. I can teach you how to play," Yuna pulled another card free of her deck. "And Shiva wins yay!"

Zidane blinked. "Whoa. Sheesh maybe I should just throw in the towel."

He didn't get the chance. Alarms began wailing accompanied by flashing red lights. The game and drinks forgotten, the three ran to the front of the bridge where Barret and Galuf were staring worriedly at a screen. The crew was running around, pressing buttons and yelling orders back and forth.

"What the hell is going on?" Zidane demanded after nearly being sent flying by a speeding technician.

"We're under attack," Galuf said grimly. "It's Hollow Bastion. Three ships. We're outgunned."

Cursing, Barret turned to the pilot. "Evasive manoeuvres. We need to get clear."

"How close are we to Halloween Town?" Sora asked.

"Practically on top of it," Barret said.

"Brace for impact!" the pilot hollered and within an instant the ship shook as a series of blasts smashed in to the outer hull. Sparks flew and new alarms began screaming.

"We've taken severe damage to the lower decks," Galuf announced, holding tightly to a console to stay on his feet. "I think we're gonna lose the cabins. Damnit Yuki's down there with some of our new recruits."

"Oh no! Valefor!" Yuna took off at top speed, running toward the lift.

"Yuna wait!" Sora was after her in an instant.

"They're targeting our engines!" Barret growled as another explosion boomed from the ship's bowels. "Weapons are down!"

Sora managed to grab Yuna in front of the lift. "We have to stay on the bridge. It's dangerous."

Yuna's eyes were wide and full of tears. "My Daddy gave me Valefor. I have to get him."

The lift pinged and the doors slid open, the deck around them shuddering. Sora grabbed Yuna and pushed her on to the lift. "Okay, we'll go get him but then we'll have to get back up here. I think we're in trouble."

Yuna punched the button and the lift shot down, the lower it got the more acrid the air got. Smoke began curling in to the lift from the vents in the ceiling. The girl edged closer to her friend's side.

"You okay?" he asked.

Yuna nodded. "I'm just a little scared."

"Don't worry, we're gonna be…"

Metal screamed and the lift jolted to a stomach-crunching stop. The pair fell to their knees, the lift still trembling as the cables above began to unravel. Crawling to the doors, Sora placed his hands on them and began pushing them apart. Yuna hurried over and put all her strength into helping. When there was enough of a gap Sora called the Keyblade and used it as a jack, wrenching the doors apart. The lift was almost on the right floor but had slipped a little too far down. They would have to climb out.

"Yuna I need you to take the Keyblade and wedge the doors open. I'll have to hold them open until then."

Pale and wide-eyed with fear, Yuna nodded and took hold of Sora's weapon one hand at a time so that he could safely hold the doors back, standing on her tiptoes to reach. Once the Keyblade was in place Sora carefully let the doors close until they rested entirely on the weapon.

"Okay let's go." Sora picked Yuna up and pushed her out the lift before pulling himself out. "We have to be careful. I can hear fire." He pulled the Keyblade free and the lift doors slammed shut. A few moments later and another explosion rocked the ship. Sora pushed Yuna down to the floor as metal plates tore free from the ceiling. One hit him on the back but he barely noticed it, his ears filled with the sound of the lift snapping free and crashing to the shaft's bottom. The sounds echoed endlessly as if the alarm picked them up and juggled them through the air. Getting up and helping Yuna to her feet, Sora took her hand to stop her from running into unexpected danger.

"How are we gonna get back up?" Yuna asked.

"We'll worry about that later. Come on, let's go get Valefor."

The deck was abandoned. Yuna took the lead despite grasping Sora's hand tightly, as sure-footed as a mountain goat while hopping over fragments of metal and sparking wires. She reached her cabin door and pressed the button to open it. Nothing happened. She gave a dramatic pout. "Soooooora!" she whined. "It won't open!"

"Um…"

"Blow it up!"

He placed a hand on the door. "I don't think that's such a great idea…the ship's already damaged."

"But!"

"Don't worry Yuna, I've got an idea." The Keyblade appeared once again and worked it's magic, unlocking the door. It sprung open and Yuna hurried in.

"Oh it's all messed up!"

The room was in a terrible state. The explosions had knocked everything out of place and onto the floor. Yuna began digging through, searching for Valefor.

"Got it!"

Another blast smashed into the ship, this one worse than all the others. The ship didn't stop quaking and the alarm kicked up a notch.

Barret's voice hit the air, his baritone barely beating the alarm. "All hands prepare for an emergency landing!"

Yuna pulled Valefor close, squeezing her eyes shut. She and Sora pushed themselves into a corner of the cabin, hoping they'd avoid getting thrown around. The little girl let out a sob and she clung to Sora tightly with her good arm, Valefor pinned between them.

"It'll be okay Yuna. We're gonna be okay."

He pulled her close, covering her ears to deaden the terrifying sounds. Everything was screaming, exploding, burning and shuddering, the sounds of the limitless torture the Highwind was failing to endure. The contents of the room were tossed around, pummelling the pair mercilessly. Closing his own eyes, Sora hoped this room and these sounds weren't the last things he and Yuna would ever know.


	29. Chapter 29

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Twenty-Nine

Sora wasn't sure when everything had become calmer but as he lifted his head he was amazed to see the room he and Yuna were in still intact (albeit in an awful mess) and light was shining through the tiny porthole. He looked down and saw Yuna clutching his waist tightly with her eyes squeezed shut.

"Hey, Yuna, it's alright. We've stopped."

She opened her eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Definitely."

She pulled away as Sora got to his feet, grabbing Valefor before she stood up. Around them the ship was worryingly silent, only the odd echo of meaningless sound occasionally making itself audible.

"We have to get out of here and see where we are," Sora decided aloud. "I think we crashed near Halloween Town. I have to seal the Keyhole."

"But what about everyone else?"

"I dunno. I'm sure they're okay."

"What if they leave without us?"

"I don't think the ship is gonna be going anywhere anytime soon."

"So I'm gonna come with you?"

Sora nodded. "I won't leave you here alone."

The little girl looked somewhere between ecstatic and terrified. "I won't tell Tifa," she said, reaching out and taking Sora's hand again.

Sora chuckled. "We'll make sure Zidane and Barret don't tell her either. I think Tifa would want to dropkick me if she knew I was taking you with me."

"You don't think she'd be madder if you left me here all alone?"

Sora crouched down to Yuna's eye-level. He offered a reassuring smile. "I think this place is gonna be a little scary but I know you're really brave."

"Don't worry Sora, I'll protect you!"

He chuckled. "Thanks. Just stay close and don't run off."

"Gotcha."

"We'll try and get back to the ship's bridge but if we can't we'll just have to go and find the Keyhole."

The pair began making their way to the door, wading through the wreckage of Yuna's possessions as they went. The little girl bit her lip to keep the tears at bay, hugging Valefor even closer. They stepped into the hallway, the hull pockmarked with holes everywhere and Sora figured it probably wouldn't take much to turn one hole into a gap large enough to walk through. The floor was covered in glass and metal, not to mention doors that had ripped free and fallen into the corridor. It was quite the obstacle course.

"Sora! Yuna? Can you hear me?"

"Sora it's Zidane!" Yuna pulled in front of Sora, dragging his arm with her. "Zidane, Zidane! We're down here!"

"Great! I'm in the lift shaft. I need a hand opening the door."

"We're coming," Sora called back and together he and Yuna jogged, jumped and climbed their way back to the lift. Once there, (and after Yuna had safely placed Valefor on the floor) both took hold of a door each. "Okay we're opening the doors. On three Yuna. One, two, three!"

Neither door budged.

"Hey come on you two! I don't know how much longer this emergency ladder is gonna hold!"

"We're working on it. The doors are jammed."

"Oh I know!" Yuna released the door and held out her hands. A gentle breeze wrapped around her, white light shimmering around her tiny frame. "Might!"

A cascade of red washed over the pair, filling them with vast physical power. Grinning once her spell was woven, Yuna put her hands back on the door. "Let's do it!"

Sora ripped the lift door from its rails as if he were tearing paper, Yuna giggling as she followed suit. Zidane swung himself through the new gap, landing a perfect somersault. "How the hell did you do that?" he demanded.

"That was a wicked spell Yuna," Sora said, his grin broad as he tossed the door down the lift shaft. "How long does it last?"

"I don't know. I haven't used it in ages. I can't even remember who taught it to me."

"Well don't worry about that now. We've gotta seal the Keyhole ASAP. Barret's rallying the crew to get the ship up to it's most basic flying capabilities while we do what's gotta be done. The ships that shot us down haven't landed but it won't be long before they're here."

Sora looked again at the holes in the hull, cracking his knuckles thoughtfully. "I know a way out."

"Wait. I brought some bandages. You guys probably need some. Everyone else did."

Yuna and Sora shared a glance. "Oh it's okay Zidane. We're both fine huh Sora?"

"Yep. Not a scratch."

Zidane blinked. "For real? Jeez, how did you manage that? Everyone else is pretty bashed up." He raised his own left arm, his wrist wrapped up. "I got a deep gash somehow. We've got everything back up there from broken bones to concussions."

"Nasty," Sora said, heading for the biggest pockmark.

"Trust you to defy conventions."

"Hah, I try." Sora's fist slammed into the hull. He punched straight through it, reaching for the gap with his other hand to rip open an impromptu opening to the outside world. Once done, mist began seeping into the ship. Sora's hole opened up onto the graveyard although the tombs were barely visible, the shrouds of fog dense and heavy. "Okay, let's move."

"Wait. Before we go I'd better let the others know what we're doing." Zidane pulled a PHS from his pocket and within seconds he was talking to Barret. "Yeah it's me…Yup, I found them alive and well… Of course that's what we're off to do now… Yes she's coming with us. It's not like we can leave her down here alone. Just make sure Tifa never finds out… Yuki? Nah not seen him but we'll keep an eye out… I know… Yeah we'll call you if we get in trouble… I'm hardly looking forward to it but we'll manage… Yeah whatever. Uh huh, sure. Later." Zidane hung up and shoved the PHS back in his pocket. "Alright then Sora, time to go."

The three stepped out of the ship and into the grey, foggy cemetery. Sora took a moment to look up at the ship, seeing smoke rising from several areas and a worrying number of holes and dents. "Does Barret really think they're gonna get her to fly again?"

"Hell if I know," Zidane muttered.

"What will happen if the ship stays broken?" Yuna asked from Sora's side.

"Ah, don't worry about that. Barret and the others will sort something out I'm sure," Zidane said, forcing enthusiasm into his tone. "Anyway, which way Sora?"

Sora stared, trying to pierce the mist with his eyes. Occasionally the thick clouds would stir enough to reveal a grave or clear the way for distant sound to break the silence's grasp but for all he could tell they stood in a sky punctuated by the occasional tomb. There was something though. A feeling, maybe even a faint call. He took a step forward and the sensation strengthened. "This way," he called a little absently to Zidane and Yuna before carrying on, the mist around them so full of nothingness.

"Are you guessing?" Zidane demanded as he and Yuna hurried after Sora.

"No, it's a feeling."

"A feeling you're making a guess on?"

"No. There's something this way, I'm sure of it."

"Alrighty."

They continued through the mist, walking slowly to avoid tripping over things hidden in the murk. There was nothing to mark the passing of distance – the tombstones all looked identical. There was no point attempting to read the engravings. The mist seemed to have rubbed the words into gibberish smears.

Yuna held tightly to Sora, her feet occasionally getting tangled in the long grass. She kept rubbing her eyes. "I can't see properly."

"I know, I can't either. It feels like I've got clouds in my eyes," Sora chuckled. "I don't think I've ever seen anything so thick. It's like…"

"Soup? Oil? Blankets? Fluffy cotton?" Zidane listed, counting them off on his fingers.

"Got any more?"

"Sure. Let's see…" He fell quiet. "Actually…no."

The brief lull in conversation opened all ears for other sounds. Zidane stood still suddenly, tail twitching. Sora and Yuna drew to a standstill too. The thief held a hand up for quiet and no one spoke, they just listened and tried to hear something from beyond the silence.

Step. Drag. Step. Drag…

"What is that?" Yuna whispered. "Is someone out there?"

Sora turned and looked back, expecting to see someone from the ship approaching. Nothing. The mists curled around themselves as if stirred by a passing body but no one stood nearby.

Step. Drag. Step. Drag…

"Barret if that's you it is not funny!" Zidane yelled. "Same goes for anyone out there!"

"I can't see anyone," Sora said, squinting. "But I…"

Step. Drag. Step. Drag. Step. Drag.

"It's getting closer," Zidane said, coming to stand by Sora's side. "There's something out there."

Yuna clutched Valefor tightly. "Maybe it's the Heartless?"

."Come on," Sora said. "Let's get out of here."

The three began running, the footsteps loud and coming from everywhere. Nobody solid appeared, although an unexpected gate broke through. Zidane reached it first and threw it open, rust coming off in his hands as the gate screamed back on its hinges. Once Yuna and Sora were through, Zidane slammed it shut with unnecessary force.

"The mist stopped," Sora said.

"Huh?"

"The mist…it isn't here – it's stuck behind the gate in the graveyard."

"But it was here just a…" Zidane groaned. "I hate this place. I really hate it."

Yuna cocked her head. "'Cause it's weird?"

"No, because it's creepy."

The mist's disappearance revealed a bridge and a sickly green river Sora recognised. Another set of gates waited at the other side but beyond them Sora's eyes couldn't see. And yet he was certain he could sense something important up ahead. What was it? His feet stepped onto the bridge.

Step…

It wasn't as if he could hear a voice yelling 'It's here! Over here! Yeah, here's the Keyhole!' There was no curling in his stomach or pounding of his heart.

…Drag…

He just knew there was something up ahead – through the gate.

"Should we follow?"

"Yep, come on Yuna."

…Step…Drag…

"Sora let's move a little faster. There's something coming again."

Blinking, Sora looked back. He met Zidane's eyes only to have them shift to the gate.

…Step. Drag.

It opened. Metal shrieked, the mist pulling away rapidly and nothing stood there.

"Move!" Sora grabbed Zidane and Yuna and pushed them in front of him. "We've gotta get through the gate."

He followed them, running backwards. The mist swept away, great swathes being gathered up and tossed away. Nothing was there.

…

He could feel it. He had to run. They had to run and get out and get away.

Zidane hit the gate. He tugged it but the rust had fused the latch and it would not open. "Damn it!"

"Climb over it!"

"Sora, I can't reach!"

Silence. Everything beyond the three of them seemed nonexistent, watched from a muted perspective.

Sora gave Yuna a piggyback and he chased Zidane over the gate. He lifted his right foot but his left stayed low, low enough to be grabbed.

"Ah! Zidane! Something's got me!"

"There's nothing there."

Sora's hands began slipping. Yuna cried out and grabbed hold of the gate too, hoping maybe she could hold them both. Sora yanked his leg but it wouldn't be freed.

"Sora there's nothing there!"

"I'm still slipping!"

"Okay, okay." Zidane drew a dagger. "Sorry if this hurts."

He reached through the iron rungs and slowly traced the weapon's tip around Sora's leg, tearing jagged lines into the denim. Blood began to bead and drip but it never hit the ground. It pooled on something far higher off the ground, something that refused to be seen but was there none the less.

Sora's hands burnt as he was wrenched downwards. "Zidane!"

"I got it!" He stabbed the bloodstained space freeing Sora who instantly ripped his leg free and pulled himself and Yuna over the gate's summit.

The trio backed away, the huge solid black gate being violently shaken from the other side. Rust snowed down, the gate's hinges crying out under the strain.

A pause.

"This was a very bad idea," Zidane muttered.

"I'm starting to agree with you. Stay very close Yuna."

"Shouldn't we go back?"

"I don't think we're gonna get back through those gates."

Step. Drag. Step.

Sora turned, the odd emotion he felt binding itself closer to him. "Okay…that's different."

In place of Oogie Boogie's ruined manor was an exquisitely chilling mansion. It was at least as tall as Oogie's former lair but this new construct seemed fuller. More rooms meant more places for things to be hidden in…

Secrets behind dark doors tucked far away up long staircases.

Coloured a pale grey, the old house still managed to stand out from the grim cliffs surrounding it. The windows threw the outside image back at the air. The roof spire rose rigidly in to the air, surveying Halloween Town from its elegant height. A single door could be seen, encapsulated beneath a tired, decrepit awning.

Sora walked over the wooden bridge to the broken down garden, his friends far less eager to follow.

"I don't want to go in there," Yuna said, her little voice trembling.

"I'm sorry Yuna but we have to. I'm not leaving you out here alone."

"And we're not gonna let you go in there alone," Zidane said, taking hold of Yuna's hand and gently pulling her into the garden. "It'll be alright Yuna. Sora and I can fight and you're great with magic. No Heartless with half a brain cell is gonna take us on."

Sora stepped onto the awning, the deck beneath his feet groaning languidly, the sound bouncing off the cliffs and shooting into the air, getting even louder as Zidane and Yuna joined him. Sora reached the door. He summoned the Keyblade and kicked it open, surprised it swung without a peep. The three crossed the threshold with the utmost care. The hallway's end was lost to darkness, the meagre lamplight refusing to pierce it. The floor was covered in a thick red carpet, its pile swallowing their footsteps. Cobwebs clung to the once-cream ceiling and the walls – half mahogany and half maroon and cream wallpaper – were marred with long streaks of dust. Dotted up the lengthy hallway were odd pieces of furniture such as chairs, display cabinets and ornaments. All in all things had changed a lot since Sora's previous visit. He hadn't felt so ill at ease either – that strange feeling stronger now that he was in the house.

The door closed behind them with a soft click. Zidane experimentally gave the handle a turn but it didn't budge. "We're locked in."

Silence rang in their ears but sound never seemed far away. "I heard footsteps!" Yuna gasped, grabbing Sora's hand. "There's someone upstairs!"

All stopped and stood, listening intently. Yuna was right. The sound was faint and a long way away but nevertheless there they were. Slow and ponderous, someone was walking absently around and around and around in a short circuit.

When they faded away, they took the light with them.

"Come on, we better make a run for it," Zidane said. "We've gotta get out of this hallway."

They began running, their feet kicking up old dirt. Yuna tripped, her hand slipping out of Sora's as she hit the ground. Sora was quick to stop and turn back.

Yuna stayed on the floor, shaking. "I don't like this. I really don't like this! I wanna go!"

Sora lifted her to her feet, keeping a tighter hold on her hand. The little girl had squeezed her eyes shut and wouldn't open them. "Just hold on tight Yuna, I think we're almost there."

Hopefully he made a convincing liar.

In the rapidly failing light Sora caught a glimpse of Zidane's pale face. His expression was tight and deeply unnerved, the whiteness of his face the only hint of the effort it took for the thief to stay in control of his emotions. Sora stayed quiet, his own heart pounding loud enough for all to hear.

The light died.

Yuna wailed and Zidane made an odd, strangled gasp.

"Zidane?"

Nothing.

Yuna sobbed quietly and Sora tugged her close. "I want to go home!" she wept. "I don't like it here! It's cold and dark and there's something here but I don't know what. Oh please Sora, please! Let's go!"

"I know, I know you want to go but we can't, not without Zidane. I'm sorry." Sora squinted, trying to see something…anything. "Zidane where are you?"

Yuna's sobs became increasingly forlorn as the seconds then minutes ticked by without a single response. Sora edged forward, dragging Yuna with him. He reached out with his empty hand, groping for the wall to tell him where he was. But he couldn't find anything – the walls had leapt back, the corridor losing it's comforting limits and instead stretching on into eternity.

And the footsteps were getting louder.

" _help_ "

Yuna dug her heels in, yanking Sora to a stop. "No, no, no!" Her words were choked, her tears verging on hysteria. "I won't move! We can go back to the ship and we can go get everyone else and then we can all kill the monster! I heard it! It's here! It's…"

And then Yuna's hand was gone, the little girl's sobs silenced.

" _no don't leave me_!"

Sora took a few steps back. His legs hit furniture and he fell back into a chair. Shivers ran madly up and down and up and down his spine. Some leapt into his ribs and pushed down into his lungs, each breath a laboured thing. Forcing himself to calm down, Sora got back up. Fear still skittered around him. He didn't know which way to go.

Footsteps. Again. They weren't his.

"Zidane? Yuna?"

Bad idea. They got faster.

A wisp of a wind eased around him. He took one, two, three, four blind steps. His foot his something of cold stone and he hit the ground. There was something out there. He could hear it breathing. The house moved with it, stretching out to confuse him only to rush back in and engulf him.

Engulf him.

Swallow him.

Wrap its arms around him.

Oh…

Oh please…

Please no…

" _help me…please_!"

"Who…who's there?" His mouth had never been so dry.

It pulled itself free of the shadows, a torn face with arms that were not bound by skin and bones. He couldn't run. Wherever he went, there was the face. It's arms reached out. He never ran into anything again but with every turn he found it. It found him. They found one another. The arms swathed him, wrenched him from his feet, pulled him in close.

Close.

Cold.

So cold.


	30. Chapter 30

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Thirty

He didn't know what to do. Running wouldn't work. It couldn't work. There was nowhere to run to. Attack? His hands were shaking too much to hold his weapon tight enough. It was starting to get cold, the white arms grabbling greedily for his hammering heart.

No.

The hand sunk in, the breath he drew in sharp and pained. His head fell back, eyes seeing all the darkness.

No!

He needed light, light that would last. Did it matter if a few things burned? Absolutely not. He'd welcome the heat. And so with everything he could spare, Sora held his hands out.

"Firaga!"

The flames struck out, eating the darkness and ripping the hand from his heart. He fell to his knees, his ears full of retching screams. He could see things again, cast in a madly dancing orange haze. The white face and arms were gone, only the echoes of its screams remained. The hallway was slowly being gutted, fire eating through the wood and the wallpaper.

And there was that strange feeling again. Sora turned, finding an unexpected door waiting patiently for him. He looked back and saw a wall of fire. What choice did he have? Besides, Zidane and Yuna had to be through that door, right? Sora threw it open and stepped out into a stairwell. The door slammed shut, its edges fusing to the frame and becoming but a painting upon a wall. Sora backed away, the route shut off. The stairs were all he had. So, was it to be up or down?

Down meant the basement. Basements were…

 _"You never ever go to the basement in a haunted house!"_

 _A nine-year-old Sora cocked his head. "Why not?"_

 _Riku held up a knowing finger. "'Cause that's where the mad old man keeps his nastiest monsters."_

 _"But I thought that was the attic."_

 _Kairi looked worried. "There are monsters in the basement and the attic?"_

 _"Nah, just the basement."_

 _"Attic!"_

 _"Basement!"_

 _"I'm a little confused."_

Sora smiled at the memory, recalling how the argument had gone on until Kairi wanted to know if there were nasty things lurking at her house and the two boys had to calm her down before she started wailing. And now that he thought about it monsters in the basement did make more sense. The further down the darker the room and that made for a perfect monster breeding ground, didn't it, the darkness. "Looks like you win Riku," Sora murmured, heading up. "Although there aren't any monsters…just Heartless."

The stairs were silent beneath his feet, the wood refusing to creak as expected. The carpet swallowed the sounds of his feet and the smooth banister didn't allow a single squeak as his hand ran up it. There were plenty of windows and they allowed some light in but they were clogged with the mist that had reclaimed the world outside. For a moment Sora could imagine he was walking through a house hidden in the clouds where land was further away than one could believe. He spared a thought for those left behind on the Highwind, hoping they weren't being attacked somewhere in that mist.

Eventually the stairs ended and a door waited. Sora paused, listening intently. Nothing, not a peep, only the sinking of his stomach seemed to make a sound. Where were Zidane and Yuna? He couldn't leave without them. Carefully Sora reached out and turned the doorknob. The door opened and Sora stepped into a warm, candlelit and oddly comforting study. Bustling bookshelves lined every wall, leaving just enough space for two doors, a large window and an empty fireplace. A desk had been placed in the centre of the room, an antiquated typewriter collecting dust upon it. A white envelope leant up against it, catching Sora's attention. He picked it up, noting the big wax seal on the underside. He turned it and discovered that the seal was not only black but the symbol upon it was that of the Heartless. Sora ripped the envelope open, removing the small card contained within. The calligraphy was a little hard to decipher but he managed.

' _I've let one of my dearest ladies run free. Should you find her, be a good boy and let her beat you._ '

"Great, just great." Sora tossed the envelope and the note into the fireplace. It flared into life, the note mere ash in seconds. The study's appeal was gone.

" _can anyone hear me?_ "

" _help! Somebody please help me!_ "

The door on the other side creaked open. Hearing footsteps, Sora ran from the study. Bright oil lamps lit the long hallway that had only one exit, an exit Sora just managed to see a woman disappear through before he could identify her. He tried to go back but as he turned something clicked and an impenetrable iron barrier fell down, sealing his fate. Sora sighed and looked back along the hallway, eyeing the walls warily and noting countless holes of exactly the same shape dotted everywhere. It was a little disconcerting and a niggling suspicion was flitting around in his mind. Thankfully this hallway was also furnished with random vases and other assorted trinkets, giving Sora a wide array to choose from. He picked up a large, unassuming and thankfully empty marble urn and lobbed it up the corridor. The effect was instantaneous. Silver spikes shot out from the walls, the ceiling and the floor, piercing everything in their path.

"Whoa."

A small grin tilted Sora's lips. Well this was going to prove interesting. The spikes began slowly retracting and he spent the next fifteen minutes tossing more random ornate hallway furniture into the spikes' path in order to memorise their positions. When he felt ready, he took a few steps back until his back was pressed up against the iron barricade. He gave himself a mental count to three before bursting forward in the fastest sprint he'd ever pushed himself to.

The first spikes shot across from the left but he cleared them with an easy somersault. He dodged the one from the ceiling only to grab it and swing around to avoid another from the floor. A pair of spears crisscrossed in front of him and he dived over the top, rolling neatly to his feet and not stopping. He jumped over another only to back-flip over one that came from behind. Sora grabbed a spike above his head, swinging himself neatly over a lower one and running the instant his feet hit the carpet. His feet danced over a mash of spikes gathering around his feet, jumping in and out with ease. Through that maze and he was halfway there. His path was clear and he didn't waste the moment, running at top speed. He skidded left, right, left again, left again and cartwheeled over the final bar. The hallway wasn't done yet. Spikes shot out at him from in front. His decision was made in a split second, his eyes assimilating his surroundings and his brain providing his limbs with the perfect evasive manoeuvres. He jumped and kicked off a bar in front of him, somersaulted backwards, catching a spike high up as he went and lifting himself up and over. The poles drilled into the ground where he had been standing but he had no time for relief. Swinging free Sora took to his feet again, dodging around the spikes and aiming for the door. He heard something coming from behind but saw a spike aiming to trip him up. He hurdled that and trusted his instincts to save him from a stab in the back. Pulling his arms out the way, Sora twisted himself in a freehand flip, his body just missing impalement from behind. The spike became a tightrope and Sora landed his leading right foot first, the other sweeping up before he twisted, missing a spike from the right by holding himself in a handstand. Pushing off the bar Sora landed in front of the door. He allowed himself a brief look back at the hallway. It looked as though someone had gone mad with a gun and a lot of bullets. He grinned, pleased with himself for surviving the nasty trap, before pushing his way out of the domestic carnage.

Another set of stairs greeted him and this time his only choice was down. He jogged lightly, trying to catch his breath but not willing to spend too much time standing still. Down, down, down he went. Nothing but foggy windows met him until he was so deep the house had dug into the ground it stood upon. That was when things got a little more complicated. He sloshed into green water that had flooded the lower level of the house. He crouched down, noting that the water was at the same level of the upcoming hallway's ceiling. Perfect.

"Note to self: carry goggles at all times."

 _Addendum to that: you suck at one-liners._

"Shut up."

Sora eased himself into the water, his clothes trying to drag him down. He dispensed with the trainers on his feet and the bulky hoodie. He tightened the belt around his jeans a little more and made sure the contents of his pockets (the Oathkeeper and Oblivion Keychains and the Ultima Materia) were pushed to the very bottom. Taking a few deep and measured breaths, Sora held the last one in and ducked under the surface. He was a confident swimmer and had been able to hold his breath back home for just over two minutes. Hopefully that would suffice here.

The water was dark – the only light coming from the oil lamps behind and the splotch of random brightness ahead Sora was aiming for. He pushed floating, unidentifiable debris out his path, trying not to focus on what anything was. When his chest began aching he wasn't even midway to the light. In fact it was as if he hadn't moved toward it at all. He couldn't risk going back because the further he pushed on the less likely it would be that he would make it. But the light wasn't getting closer and it was getting harder to push away his need to take a breath. He pushed up a little, keeping one hand on the ceiling. He bit down on his lip, his heart's pounding beginning to echo in his empty chest. His throat felt as though someone had a vice-like grip on it. Bubbles were seeping from him in a vain attempt to release some of the pressure but that meant less air. He didn't give in though, he pushed on and on and on and…

Below him he managed to make out the blurry shape of a door. Everything came to the choice: push on or try it? Either way could be a mistake that would cost more than his life.

The door won and he swam down to it, pushing it. It didn't open. He pulled it. Still didn't work. It was locked. Time was about to run out. The Keyblade illuminated the murky water and unlocked the door a moment later. Pushing against it again, Sora swam through into yet more stairs. He couldn't tell if there was a surface but he went up. If this failed he was dead. But Lady Luck hadn't abandoned him yet and when his head broke the surface he dragged air into his lungs like he never had before. Grey light shone from a window set in the ceiling and Sora managed to get far enough up the stairs to stand on his feet, albeit with his back pressed heavily against a wall. He avoided hyperventilating but it took several long minutes to restore normal rhythm, the water lapping at his feet quietly all the while. When he felt a little less light-headed and his heart didn't feel as though it were leaping around his entire chest, Sora took a look around. The stairs ended not too far above him in front of another door, this one complete with a small window. When he got to it and discovered it was unlocked he dismissed the Keyblade and stepped through into a small antechamber, its intricately carved walls depicting images of human torture and agony at the hands of strange monsters. For carvings the etchings were oddly disturbing and Sora didn't linger. He pushed through the next door.

Sora found himself in a massive ballroom, aged and crumbling decorations still clinging desperately to the balconies and chandeliers above. Tables had been set out in a horseshoe shape, the open end left for the orchestra who'd only left their instruments behind. Gigantic ceiling to floor windows opened up onto views of the misty cliffs and what might once have been a garden but was now merely a derelict pile of rubble and withered shrubs at the mansion's rear. Sora's bare feet slapped against the chequered marble dance floor, sounding like a lone applaud. Everything else was still and silent, waiting for the party.

"I trust you are enjoying your stay."

Her voice was still sweeter than a birdsong and it came from the balcony above. The feeling he had had solidified. It was her – she was the cause. Sora looked up and found Snow White dressed in a long black gown smiling down at him.

"Your friends are waiting for you. You should find them. That poor little girl. I'm amazed her heart didn't break with the fear. Still, she won't be long for this existence."

"What have you done with Yuna and Zidane?"

"Nothing yet. But I will if you don't beat me to them."

"Where are they?"

"Not too far but not very close by." She turned to leave, Sora's feeling going with her. "Have fun."

She clapped her hands once. Chairs slid back and ethereal music began playing from the abandoned instruments. In the strange light Sora managed to spot the Heartless surrounding him as they stood up from their tables. Oblivion came to a rest in his hands and he slipped into the offensive without a spare thought. This lot had to be cleared through before he could get on and find Zidane and Yuna. The first Heartless to depart was a ghostly man dressed to impress in top hat and tails; his face covered in a grotesque mask made to look like his flesh was falling off. A cross-slash sorted him and he melted into the floor, blood spatters the only symbol of his existence. A woman, dressed for a ball with an equally disturbing mask, was the next to reach for Sora but he ran her through and didn't stop, taking out the couple who clasped hands behind her in the same swoop. He did a quick headcount, turning quickly to catch a glimpse of them all. Six to go. The chill wrapped around him before the Heartless could and Sora, with ease born of practise, high-jumped backwards and freed himself from the circle the ghostly dancers had tried to seal him in. A spell – Ultima – could have wiped them all out in an instant but Sora was loathe to use so much energy when he had another huge task in front of him. He moved as fast as he could, the Keyblade moving in Sora's signature movements before he became too predictable and had to adapt or die. Down to four Heartless and all of them seemed to know how to defend themselves against his combo attacks. Time to change the pace. Sora moved as he always would for an overhead attack and the Heartless defended herself, her dress rustling on the ground as she brought her arms up to block. At the last moment Sora twisted his wrist and the Keyblade span round back on itself, cutting her from below rather than above. Another down. The Key was just swinging back around as Sora turned, grabbed it with his previously unused hand and reeled it in for a horizontal slash to the Heartless reaching for his neck. The music hit a violin crescendo when Sora's blade bit deep into the Heartless' chest just below the bowtie. The other two Heartless would have to wait a minute.

Sora turned his glare to the orchestra, not seeing anyone but spying a lot of very unwelcome instruments playing by themselves. He didn't need his eardrums to burst courtesy of one over-zealous violin. Two successive blasts of Firaga took care of the orchestra, the music dying with an off-key screech.

Back to the Heartless.

They seemed a little less keen now that the music had faded but their hunger drove them on. Remembering to change his moves, Sora adapted Riku's fighting style for the moment. His grip on the Keyblade changed as well. He held it out from his right shoulder, his left hand thrust out to balance his body in the unfamiliar stance. He stabbed the Key forwards twice, grabbing his weapon with both hands to put extra force into the final half-twisting blow. He was down to one, his arm aching. How the hell did Riku fight like this? Sora couldn't imagine a more uncomfortable style. Thankfully the Heartless adapted to Sora's new moves and with a strange sense of relief he was forced to choose a new style. He opted for Zidane's, the Keyblade held in a reverse grip over Sora's chest and pointed to the ground. He and the Heartless, once a narrow man with exceedingly angular features, faced off before racing toward each other with the intent to kill. The Heartless got the first hit, punching Sora in the face and sending him tumbling to the tiled ground, skidding to an eventual stop by the burnt-out orchestra. It didn't take Sora long to shake the stars from his head and regain his feet, Zidane's stance still his own. He stole more of his friend's style, jumping up just before the Heartless got a second punch in and grabbing a drooping streamer. He swung over the Heartless' masked head and landed behind, slashing as Zidane would and compensating for his lack of two weapons by switching hands and attacking again and again. What he lacked in grace and style he replaced with sheer power. His left handed blows were sloppy but before the Heartless could take advantage Sora and switched hands and made up for his lack of defence with a blow that cleaved the Heartless' head from its shoulders. Sora backed up rapidly as the head crashed to the ground, cracking open like an egg and dripping into the floor before Sora could make out the sight of crushed bone or chunks of brain. The Heartless' body weaved drunkenly before collapsing a few seconds later. Sora's stomach threatened to heave. He dismissed the Keyblade before he dropped it and grabbed a nearby chair, forcing his knees to lock and his stomach to calm down. The image replayed over and over in his head until he forced his thoughts elsewhere.

 _You love the killing really._

"No."

 _Maybe not that one but others – you've rejoiced to see the Heartless die by your hand before._

"Only when they threaten the lives of others!"

 _How heroically noble of you._

He didn't have time to debate with a voice. Sora looked for a way up to the balcony, realising his only choice was to climb. He stepped on a chair up to the table and high-jumped to the balcony's rail, pulling himself over with ease. The door was unlocked and it led outside to a strange little upstairs garden. The mist was thinner up here but it was cold and rain had already started falling. A fountain overflowed in the centre of the small balcony, the ground covered in trailing plants and weeds that had sprouted out from cracks in the bricks underfoot. A door waited for him on the balcony's opposite wall. He looked up, seeing the old mansion's spire not too far away. Was that where he had to go? It seemed like it. Snow White had left this way and that feeling was getting stronger once more.

 _Watch out._

"What are y-ah!"

Sora's stomach stayed in the sky as he fell down. He hit the mud hands and knees first, sinking a little into the quagmire. His left hand found something under the surface and he grabbed it, heaving it out while leaving his right to sink further.

It was Valefor.

His right hand hit something smooth.

"Oh no."

He heard knocking, soft but frantic. It was coming from underneath him. The rain was turning the hole into a pond but Sora didn't think about climbing out. His hands began digging, the runny mud growing into a bigger pile behind him. He spared only one moment and that was to save Valefor by tucking the toy into his t-shirt behind his head, the Aeon's head poking out over Sora's shoulder, it's button eyes watching him dig. The knocking continued but it was getting weaker. Sora didn't stop until he'd uncovered the surface his hand had found. He uttered a horrified curse, his stomach plummeting.

The coffin had a metal nametag bolted on to it. The name on it…

"Yuna!"

He tried to punch through the wood but he didn't have the strength. Cursing his stupidity, Sora summoned the Keyblade and enhanced the blow with Sonic Blade. Oblivion's tip smashed the wood and Sora ripped it back out, dismissing his weapon and tearing the shredded timber away with his hands regardless of the splinters jabbing into his skin. He saw her, saw Yuna, pale as death below him, her hands fallen over her chest. She wasn't breathing. As soon as the hole was large enough Sora pulled her out. The rain fell on her but she didn't stir.

"Come on Yuna, don't die on me!"

The downpour was getting heavier, the water at the hole's bottom growing worryingly deep but Sora laid the girl on her back and put his ear to her mouth and nose, hearing nothing. He tilted her head back, breathing for her. Nothing. She didn't have a pulse. His hands started compressions, stopping only when he had to give Yuna a breath.

Why wasn't this a nightmare?

Above him a door opened and closed with a bang. The chill was back in the air. The Heartless were coming. Time was running out.

Valefor slipped down from behind Sora's head and tumbled into the mud. He couldn't stop to save the toy. He didn't stop trying to save Yuna, not even when the Heartless stood above him.

"This time Yuna. This time. You have to breathe!"

He breathed into her lungs once again and as he pulled back Valefor caught his eye. Light pulled itself free of the toy's back and shot into the sky, shaping itself after the aeon the higher it climbed. A gust of wind screamed overhead, the Heartless torn away with it. Sora threw himself over Yuna, the howling light strong enough to rip them both away too. All was calm again just a few rapid seconds later. Sora pulled back just as the light floated back into the filthy toy. Below him Yuna arched off the ground, her lungs wrenching in all the air they could. She coughed and Sora reached around, lifting her up and supporting her until she could breathe a little easier. His heart pounded with relief, feeling lighter than it had ever since they'd stepped in to the forsaken house. Dreadful what-ifs floated into his mind with the power to make him sick but he forced them away, focusing on what was rather than the tragedies that could have been.

"Yuna are you okay?"

"Sora?" she asked breathlessly. Then she burst into tears and twisted around in his grip, grabbing him and sobbing into his shoulder.

Picking Valefor out of the mud, he pulled the little girl close. "I'm sorry Yuna. I am so, so sorry." He pushed her back a little. "Sit on my back and I'll climb out. Then we can find somewhere to rest okay?"

She nodded and did as she was told, her arms trembling with weakness. Sora climbed quickly, the sticky mud easy to scale. When they reached the top he shifted Yuna to his hip and went back to the ballroom where it was safer and drier.

The girl couldn't stop shivering and Sora thought fast, tearing a curtain into a makeshift blanket to wrap her in. She wouldn't let him go too far and he had to stay in her line of sight and when he came back she refused to let go of him, holding his waist until he sat down where she promptly sat, trembling, in his lap. He wrapped the curtain around her and her muddy Valefor, rocking her gently.

"She wouldn't stop. I couldn't move and then she threw me in…in…"

"It's okay, you're safe now."

It was almost very different.

"And I couldn't see anything and then it got harder to breathe. Then…then I don't remember 'til you were there." She fell quiet, her tears not stopping. "Did I die?"

"I…"

"I did, didn't I?"

"…Yeah."

She hugged Sora tighter. "I'm glad you saved me."

He hugged her back. "Not as glad as I am."

Sora found himself nodding off, Yuna in his arms already asleep. He was cold, wet and sitting in a puddle of his own rain soaked creation, drenched to the bone. He was drowsy but there was a lot to be done. And this place hardly promised a restful slumber. Getting to his knees, Sora shook Yuna awake.

"We have to find Zidane."

She snuggled down in her curtain. "I don't want to move. I'm tired."

"It's okay Yuna, I'll carry you."

"What if you have to fight?"

"I'll…uh…figure something out."

Yuna tied the curtain around herself like a cape before climbing onto Sora's back, Valefor clutched in her hands. Sora's brainstorm came up with a plan and he pulled down another curtain, ripping it into ropes that he then used to support Yuna in a strange sort of harness. Supporting her against his back freed his arms in case he needed to attack any Heartless.

"Comfortable?"

"Mm."

Sora smiled. "Go back to sleep. When you wake up we'll be back on Atlantica and Tifa will be telling me off for getting us all into so much trouble."

Yuna didn't reply and Sora left the ballroom, stepping back out into the rain. He hurried over to the door, refusing to look at the hole. He stepped through wetter and shivering with the cold but he was glad to see a hallway free of Heartless. Of course the stairs angling off to the left were a little less welcome than a nice flat hallway but beggars couldn't be choosers. Plus the direction they were taking suggested they led up to the tower and that was where Snow White would be and one way or another she'd tell him where Zidane was.

He couldn't be worse than buried alive…

 _Well, there's always the regular kind of body burying…he could be in that state._

Sora ignored the words, squinting to see if there was anything else of interest in the hall. The light here was darker, everything taking on a strange blue tinge. Even the huge window set behind the stairs seemed to be alight with blue. The twilight was peaceful and Sora had to stifle a tired yawn. Sleep would be so nice. Throwing the idle wishes away he reached the stairs, the plush carpet soft and warming to his frozen feet. He jogged up it, the jostling movement doing nothing to wake Yuna up. Sora took a moment to look out the window, hoping maybe he'd be able to spot the Highwind. But there was nothing beyond the mist and the approaching night. He told himself the ship and its occupants were fine and banished all other thoughts from his mind. There was nothing to worry about, nothing in the slightest. Just the Keyhole, Snow White and Zidane…exact order of business still pending.

The top the stairs opened up onto a long hallway with three doorways on Sora's right. Curiosity pushed urgency away and Sora peeked in the first door finding a small and grim bedroom lit by a bare bulb. The bed was rickety with the thinnest possible mattress, the walls painted a sickening shade of rotting lemon yellow and the wooden floor stained worrying colours. Sora stepped in to the room cautiously, the air stale and cold. A few steps in and the crying started: low and desperate and coming from the room.

There was no one there.

Sora backed out and slammed the door shut before anything else weird happened. The crying didn't stop, following him down the hall. Sora made sure to peek in the other rooms in case Zidane lurked within one but the rooms were just depressing clones of one another – although the crying stayed within the first bedroom only.

The end of the hall turned a sharp right and then a left, more large windows showing the sudden night. It was like time moved faster here. Or maybe he'd just lost track.

Past the window a door waited, hanging open and showing Sora in all his bedraggled and soggy glory, Yuna's sleeping head resting on his shoulder. He stepped through the door and discovered that the mirror was not alone.

"Great. Perfect. Yay."

A mirror maze. A damn mirror maze. Sora's frown was heavy. He'd never been fond of the concept of mirror mazes. Of course Riku's horror stories about being trapped in an endless maze of mirrors probably hadn't helped and the nightmares had taken several days to get over. Being in a real one didn't conjure up childhood terrors but Sora was still far from happy. He didn't have time to get lost in here.

 _Then find your way out quickly._

Sora threw his left hand out to avoid slamming in to any mirrors. For a moment he couldn't help but stop and stare. His eyes, blue as ever, were heavier than usual, weighed down by cares and weariness. His hair, soaking wet, was drooping over his eyes and casting older shadows. He was fifteen but for a moment he saw a grown man; even the baggy jeans seemed to fit better. Shock made him blink and the vision was gone, leaving a tired Sora bare footed and in too-big jeans. He didn't have time for this. Time to move on very carefully. Hand held out and eyes locked on the path ahead Sora moved into the labyrinth.


	31. Chapter 31

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Thirty-One

Deeper in the maze and Sora was beginning to feel as though he wasn't getting anywhere. The temptation to smash his way free was growing but he knew that wouldn't help. He could feel the darkness creeping up around him. His eyes kept darting to the mirrors, trying to spy whatever it was coming up from behind. He expected to see little dancing Shadows teetering around but there was still nothing. He wound deeper and deeper into the maze, his eyes behind even as they looked ahead. Yuna never stirred, she slept on utterly oblivious and for that Sora was glad. Yuna didn't need to know that they were being tailed. Weren't they? It could've been his imagination. But he was sure it was getting darker and a noticeable chill was definitely filtering into the air. That meant only one thing: Heartless.

Step. Drag. Step. Drag.

Sora physically turned back but all he saw were countless images of himself, staring endlessly in every direction. He moved forward, grimly suspicious, smacking into a smooth mirror after he forgot to reach out. Rubbing his smarting nose and forehead Sora discovered he had to turn left and did so a little dizzily. He spiralled out around himself, twins of triplets of quadruplets… The world of Sora's around him made his head spin and he kept a light touch on the mirrors at all times to ground himself in reality. It was just a stupid maze with lots of stupid mirrors in a stupid house in a stupid town on a stupid…

What was that?

"I know something's out there," he whispered to himself. He edged onwards, still seeing no one other than himself and Yuna. "Is it Snow White?" He turned a rapid succession of junctions, losing track of any kind of mental map he had been trying to keep. "No…It isn't her…"

Step. Drag. Step. Drag. StepDragStepDragSteDra…

When it came it loomed up, sweeping up from the ground and surrounding Sora and all his copies from every side. The Heartless was a monster; possibly human…or rather a jumble of reanimated corpses fused together to create a very ugly whole. Arms, legs and even faces jutted out at unnatural angles. Sora's stomach took a nosedive but he didn't heave. He looked wildly around. Where the hell was the real one!

He didn't stop to find out. Getting away seemed to be a better plan and he kept running, deeper and deeper into the maze, chased by a horrific image. Out of the blue came a set of stairs and Sora took them two by two, grabbing the banisters either side to heave himself up with. Once on top he realised the stairs were a bridge going over the maze only to plunge back into it. He could see over the top of all the mirrors from up here. He could see where he'd come in and his exit shining far away on the south-facing wall. He couldn't see the Heartless though – even its image had gone from the mirrors.

"There's no way I imagined that…"

Hesitantly he made his way over the bridge and down the stairs, never once believing that whatever was in the maze with him had given up in favour of afternoon tea. Back in the maze and mist was seeping up from the floor, hiding Sora's feet from view. He looked in the mirror. Yes there he stood, with Yuna sound asleep on his back, looking bedraggled, scared and exhausted. And there's the Heartless ready to attack…

Heartless…

…attack…

He grasped the Keyblade and spun around in time to save Yuna from losing her heart. Five of its numerous arms launched out for them but Sora batted them away, shimmying back on his feet to give himself more room to fight in. Three heads turned to stare with dead eyes before the putrefied lump of bodies, somehow sharing just one pair of legs, shifted to face him. He had definitely strayed into a nightmare at some point during this hellish day. He brought the Keyblade up, not exactly knowing where to attack first but knowing one way or another this mutant Heartless had to go. He just had to hope Yuna didn't wake up to see this. The last thing she needed on top of her near-death experience was a creature feature to infect her dreams.

He couldn't jump or make any dramatic moves with the little girl weighing him down and he definitely couldn't take the risk of draining his energy further with Ultima. Normal spells weren't off limits though and after some thought Sora aimed the blade and cast Stopga, the Heartless freezing mid-step. With his heart throbbing its way into his throat Sora edged toward it, studying the bizarre creature closely. Two, three, four heads with enough arms fused to the skin and reaching out for five people. And the torso…Sora could walk a complete circle and never find a back – somehow the bodies of five people had been stuck together atop a single pair of legs. And the smell, like rotting fish and overripe seaweed, was bringing tears to his eyes yet still Sora couldn't perceive a weakness and his Scan ability wasn't showing much either. This Heartless was not going to die easily.

Killing it wasn't really his top priority though; escaping this maze was. Still, he hit it with several heavy clouts before the magic wore off. And when the Heartless began moving Sora was quick to back off, putting Yuna's safety before everything else. He had to escape for her sake – there was no way he could die and leave her here to face the maze alone.

Thinking about dying always led Sora down a long thought trail. If he died what would that mean? What would happen to the Keyblade and all the worlds and all his friends? Somehow his death seemed unimportant – there'd always be another to take his place after all.

 _Such angst! I never knew you had that in you._

Sora heard the voice and was about to retort when the Heartless did something quite unexpected. It reached out to a mirror with a single arm and then stepped in. The moment its entire body was encapsulated, its image bounced into every mirror surrounding them, its solid form gone again.

"Nice trick," Sora muttered, holding his weapon out and jogging forward.

The path he was on stretched out in front of him before veering off in a direction opposite to where he knew the exit lay in wait. He didn't worry: mazes were meant to be disorientating and Sora was well aware of how lost he was. He kept moving, taking turns and reaching dead ends and turning back to find a new direction, his head getting dizzy with each new turn. Sora gave up any pretence of knowing where he'd been and where he was going. He figured that as long as he never made his way back to the stairs he was moving the right way.

Yuna still didn't stir and for the first time Sora got a little worried. She was alright wasn't she? Was it really possible for someone to naturally sleep through all this? He stopped the train of thought. He didn't have time to worry right now and at least Yuna wouldn't have to see this hideous new Heartless.

An odd grin wriggled onto his face. He should've expected monsters after all the other weird happenings.

The Heartless pulled back out of the mirror with a rasping shriek, four arms ready for an attack that caught Sora in the shoulders and the chest. He stumbled backwards, his arms pin-wheeling to keep him on his feet – crushing Yuna was definitely not a great idea. Balance restored the Keyblade slashed out, throwing the arms off course and hacking a deep gash in one of the faces. It was the Heartless' turn to be knocked off balance, blood spattering on the ground as it toppled over. Sora took the chance to run past it.

 _Coward._

"I've got to get Yuna out."

 _Helpful excuse._

"It's not an excuse."

 _Whatever._

"Yeah, whatever."

Sora turned to the east before switching to the south and there it was, unexpected but so welcome, the exit. A relieved smile lit up his face. Almost there!

 _Hm a mansion with a mind of its own, bizarre Heartless, mazes, near-drowning, an old friend with a new twist and this maze… Do you really think getting out of here is the end?_

A strange sound came from behind and Sora tried to look back without slowing down. Bad idea. Smack. Mirror.

Mirror…

He rolled around, his wide eyes reflected until the images were a blur. The Heartless had gone but the mirror hadn't and it was reaching out, the shattered glass fragments turning into one giant hand.

He blinked once stupidly, not quite sure he was seeing it. Then he was pushing off the mirror and running for the lighted exit. Get Yuna out and then fight, it was the only way.

"Where are we? Huh, why are you running Sora? Is there something…"

"Don't look back!"

The little girl shrieked, the piercing sound (a speciality of all scared little girls) threatening to burst Sora's eardrums. "Wh-what is that?"

"I don't know but I've gotta get you out of here before I can stop it." He had another brainwave. "Start untying the ropes and when I tell you jump down and run."

"Okay!" And the little girl busied herself, her mind successfully taken away from the thing behind them.

The exit was just a breath away.

 _Is it?_

No. Smack. Mirror.

"Are you okay Sora?"

"Uh, yeah."

The hand was still reaching out for them and Sora took off again, remembering to hold the Keyblade out. He turned a corner and there it was again, the exit, shining like a beacon.

 _Well…maybe._

"Yuna can you tie one of the ropes up into a big knot?"

"Sure." Her legs wrapped tighter around his hips and she threw her arms over his shoulders, head poking around so her hands had more space to work the rope into a chunky knot.

"Keep going!" Sora turned back, pointing the Keyblade and casting a hurried and careless Thundaga.

Luckily for him it jolted into the fused shards, sending three of the fingers flying out into the other mirrors. The sound of the glass tumbling onto the ground was strangely pretty. For a moment it reminded him of the wind chimes his mother had hung beside their front door.

"Here!"

Sora returned to the present and took the knot from Yuna, lobbing it toward the exit. He didn't realise he'd been holding his breath until it bounced through. "Yuna get ready to run!"

StepDragStepDragStepDrag.

"Is that a Heartless Sora?"

"Yeah but don't look." He saw in the mirror that the little girl kept her gaze trained on the exit. Smart kid.

"Is it ugly?"

Ugly and pulling itself free of the mirror hand, the Heartless was coming back and it looked angry. All its faces were contorted in a way he hadn't noticed before. Their dark rage was aimed at him.

The exit was close enough now. "Yuna run!"

The girl hopped down, Valefor in her hands, and ran. She didn't stop and didn't look back. The light cast over her for a moment and that was when she turned back. "Sora hurry!"

He was running for the exit but it wasn't to be. A mirror slid out of nowhere and instead of Yuna he saw himself.

 _Did I mention my hatred of cowards?_

He skidded to a stop, the Heartless finally free and the hand pulling back now that its creature was in play. He raised his weapon, choosing to focus on the head nearest the top of the body. It stepped towards him, wobbling madly but never once falling over.

Step. Drag. Step. Drag. Step. Drag…

The Heartless let out a strange groan like a chorus of voices joined together in the same pain. Sora didn't often feel sorry for the Heartless he fought but this one seemed keenly aware of its forlorn state. But it didn't matter, did it? One way or another it had to…

The strange shuffling became a limping yet very fast run. All its arms were on Sora in an instant, some punching and others reaching out to pin him against a wall.

 _Ha, gotcha._

The strength of several in one mismatched body, perfect. He managed to keep a grip on the Keyblade as he was thrown into a mirror and pinned there by three of the arms, the others snaking for his chest. Unable to wield his weapon Sora pulled his legs up, planting them on the Heartless and shoving it away. Landing in a crouch he didn't stop to catch his breath; he raised his weapon and launched into the offensive. He went down low, knocking the Heartless' legs from underneath it with a sweep before jumping over it and focusing on the arms. The ungainly body was struggling to regain its feet and grab him again but Sora was already attacking, taking out the arms pair by pair. He smashed the first two, both breaking with audible snaps. The Heartless fell back, roaring in agony but Sora didn't stop to feel pity. Two arms gone but there were still eight to go. The face he'd cut earlier, distorted and squashed, turned and glared at Sora. The inhuman malice he saw there sent him backing up a few spaces, his back colliding with a mirror. There was so little room for a fight but there was no choice. The Heartless somehow summoned a graceful attack, leaping up in the air with its legs and arms poised like a giant claw. Elegant and yet open to any high-flying attack: helpful Sora had a few up his sleeve. Strike Raid shot into the air, crashing into the Heartless' chest area. It fell back to the ground and Sora took the chance to close in, catching the Keyblade only to throw it again, it's tip breaking a nose and a cheek. Blood splashed onto the mirror and the Keyblade returned to Sora as he stood over the Heartless. He swallowed hard as he shifted to a two handed grip, the blow aimed at two of the heads. His goal twisted his stomach but if he'd done it once he could do it again. The Keyblade lopped the heads off, the pair hitting the ground with bony thuds before sinking away into the ground. Three left, the faces leering with their ripped mouths and broken, yellowed teeth – Sora tried to focus on those rather than the stumps he'd left behind.

A pair of clasped hands swung and caught him in the stomach, the air expelling from his lungs in one painful rush. Sora hit the ground winded, coughing for air that didn't seem to come. The Heartless capitalised on the opportunity, three hands heaving him up and throwing him into a nearby mirror. It shattered on impact, glass falling like stars over Sora just as his muscles were loosening enough for him to breathe a little easier. He didn't need to try pulling himself up though, the Heartless got a good grip on his torn t-shirt and hefted him up, his feet dangling like a puppet's. He played on the weakness, letting the Heartless think it had the upper hand over an injured opponent. It raised Sora higher, preparing to throw him again. Perfect. In one rapid movement Sora wrapped his legs around the three necks, the Keyblade shining as it swung a wide arc before he stabbed it through the bunched heads. He fell with the Heartless, rolling over the glass and coming to his feet as its hefty body sank into the ground. Sora watched until it was gone, only then relaxing. It was over.

The Keyblade faded and as the adrenaline rush ended the pain replaced it, most notably in his feet and back. Behind him he heard the exit slide open once again.

"Sora!"

"I'm here Yuna. Stay where you are, I'll be right out."

He took a few steps forward and felt the glass biting into his feet. He looked down and saw bloody footprints of his own making. Great, he'd sliced his feet open. Ow. He hobbled hurriedly to the exit, one hand still held against the mirror wall but more for support than to keep him from smacking into one again. Yuna waved him on and then he was out, the maze finally escaped.

"Are you okay?" the girl gasped at his bloodied state. "Hold on, I'll heal you."

"Um, let me sit down first." And Sora did so, plopping onto his backside and holding his feet up in the air.

"Oh there's glass stuck in them," Yuna diagnosed swiftly. "We'd better get that out."

"Did you keep any of the ropes? I'll used them as bandages."

Yuna pulled several long strands of the torn curtain from where she'd stuffed them into the waistband of her skirt. She kept hold of one, mopping the blood from Sora's feet to get a better look.

"You know someday you'd make a great doctor."

Yuna smiled brightly. "Thanks. My Daddy said I had a gift for healing magic so I made sure I was taught how to use it. Making people better makes me happy too. I just want everything to be alright."

Sora's gaze went distant. "Yeah. Me too."

Yuna suddenly held out Valefor. "You can hold him if you like 'cause this is probably gonna hurt and when I know things are gonna hurt Valefor makes me feel really brave."

Blinking out of his zone, Sora took the proffered toy. "Thanks." He found himself studying it closely, trying to spot how exactly it had saved them before from the Heartless above the grave. But there was nothing, not a sparkle of life or the slightest hint of magic. How bizarre. Then again it was still caked in dried mud. "When we get back to the ship maybe we should clean-ow!"

Yuna held up the large, dripping shard. "Ew!"

Sora bit his lip. "How many more?"

"Um…" Yuna grabbed his ankles and held his feet up for her to see. "Only three."

"Three…great!"

She rested his feet on her shoulders and rolled his jeans up to the knee. That done she took his right foot again. "Aw it's okay Sora." Her fingers danced before going in for the glass. "Just hug Valefor!"

He laughed despite the pain. "Nah I think I'll just - ah!"

She switched feet. "Two left! Oooh this one's huge!"

Sora's fingers tightened around his young friend's plushie. "Just yank it out."

"Okay. On three. One…" His teeth clenched. "Two…" He took a deep breath. "Three!"

He heard the blood spattering on the floor, hot and cold shudders racing madly up and down his spine, turning his muscles to jelly. His head swam but Yuna wasn't done and she wasted no time pulling the fourth and final hunk of glass out. Sora crashed onto his sore back, pain pulsating with the blood that oozed from his feet. Wave after wave of nauseating pain washed over him and he spent a few moments trying to breathe through the worst of them.

"You okay?"

He waved a hand, managing to speak as the pain crashed over him. "Just give me a few minutes."

Yuna easily wrapped the curtains around his feet, fashioning the bandages and tying the knots at the top – remembering not to make bows because boys and bows were a no-no. "All done!"

It was an effort but Sora managed to pull himself back up. His face was pale, smudged with dirt and blood but he smiled at Yuna. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Sora pulled himself to his feet before his exhaustion took over entirely. He looked around properly, noticing that the left end of the hallway was a dead end while the right led to a heavy, metal-striped door. "Oh, here's Valefor." He passed the soft toy back to the little girl. "I forgot I was holding him."

Yuna took her plushie and then clasped Sora's hand. "Let's go."

Sora nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure Zidane's nearby."

Snow White was, he knew that and the closer they got to the door the more certain he was that she was behind it. They walked slowly, Sora's feet not allowing anything faster. Fighting was going to be a tad problematic…unless Valefor felt like appearing out of nowhere once again but another glance at the plushie convinced Sora what he'd seen had been of the 'one of a kind' variety.

They reached the door and Yuna stepped behind Sora as he pushed the heavy handle down. It swung open with a rusty moan. A flight of moonlit stairs dashed upwards, the windows running the full length of the path to the tower's door. Rain slapped the glass, casting strange shadows over the pair. The chill in the air was sharp and unrelenting, a wet cold that seeped into everything no matter how well covered.

"Is Zidane up there?" Yuna whispered as Sora led her up.

"I hope so."

Guilt wracked him – he shouldn't be taking a child to this tower, he just knew it.

 _Being fifteen hardly makes you an adult._

But Sora wouldn't entertain the thought of asking her to wait for him. The last time they'd been apart he'd almost lost her forever. They stopped in front of the door, blue fire flickering from sconces bolted to the walls either side. Sora turned and crouched down to Yuna's level. "I don't know what's in there but I don't think it's going to be very nice. I won't leave you out here, it's not safe so I'm sorry if there's anything in there that scares you."

Yuna looked unsure for a moment but her lips worked their way into a smile. "As long as you and Valefor are with me I'm sure everything will be fine."

Sora stood up and put a hand on the black iron ring handle. "Ready?"

The girl nodded determinedly and then she was stepping through with Sora. When she looked she didn't really understand what she saw. It looked like the medical lab on the Highwind only a window wrapped around everything, the moonlight stabbing off the clinical surfaces, bizarre machines and row upon row of test tubes and bottles with icky things in them. But it was the thing in the room's very centre that grabbed her attention. It looked almost like the beacon of a lighthouse but that made no sense. Sora edged closer to the glass cylinder, his eyes trying to pierce the condensation built up on the inside.

"So you're finally here. I was starting to think you'd left me alone."

Snow White in all her stunning beauty stepped out from behind the odd thing in the tower's centre. In the moonlight her pale skin took on a soft blue tinge, her midnight hair oddly contrasting the otherwise frail appearance. Yuna back-peddled with a squeal of terror, yanking her hand from Sora's. "It's her!" she sobbed, clutching Valefor to her chest. "Sora it's her! She…she…"

"You saved the child. I am impressed."

"Got rid of your pet freak in the maze too."

"Yes." The comment was an after thought. "Such a loss."

Sora stepped forward carefully, not summoning his weapon just yet. "Where's Zidane? What have you done with him?"

"Why he's right here."

Sora's eyes grew large. "No…not in that?"

Snow White moved over to a console, her dress splaying over the floor like fallen wings. She keyed in a coded sequence, humming softly as she did so. Steam hissed from the glass as it slid away, revealing a lone figure held within.

"Imagine my surprise when I learned that this one was…different…to yourselves." She turned back to her prisoner, truly enraptured by the sight. "What a divine opportunity for…"

"Different how?" Sora couldn't pull his gaze from Zidane, the limp blond held up by a strange web of wires. "Sure he's got a tail…"

"Ah yes, the symbol of his uniqueness."

Sora crossed his arms with an impatient inner sigh. "Get to the point."

"His body and heart…they do not match."

Sora's arms fell back to his sides and he took two unconscious steps towards his friend. "What? That can't be right…"

"The differences are minute and almost impossible to pick up on. Whoever created his body and inserted the heart knew what they were doing." Snow White paused, a withered smile on her face. "Yes, that is a person I would definitely like to meet."

"What are you talking about? Zidane's human just like me and just like Yuna. He wasn't made!"

Snow White turned to Sora, her dark eyes shimmering with something other than fascination. "He is your friend and yet you know nothing of his past?" She tossed her hair with an air of arrogance. "Well I shan't spoil the surprise." She then brushed the front of her dress down, smoothing out the black ruffles. "I really must be off. My master shall be simply fascinated with my findings."

"You're not going anywhere until you tell me what you did to Zidane!" Sora's hand was clenched ready to grip the Keyblade but still he didn't summon Oblivion. It wasn't time.

"I did nothing. I merely carried out some rather boring and ordinary tests only to find something almost beyond my wildest dreams."

 _Yes, yes, she is the weird one of the bunch._

She smiled, the expression sickening. "I'd like to take him with me but I don't suppose you'd let me."

"Got that right."

The pale beauty clasped her hands over her chest with a pretty little frown. "Well then we do have a little problem."

Snow White clapped her hands together and the door Sora and Yuna had come through slammed open, another mutilated Heartless stepping through. This one's face looked as though someone had shoved in a jaw far too big for the head, the hooked teeth frozen in a permanent leer, stinking horrendously and dripping with saliva. It moved as though all the joints in its body were fused, teetering on one foot before swinging its entire body to move forward. But it was the arms that Sora was the most wary of. Where there should've been hands he instead saw two wicked blades, the silver metal sharpened to a deadly razor-like finish. It came to a stop by Zidane and raised its left arm until the blade was on level with the blond's neck.

"You and I are going to make a deal Sora and there will be no negotiation – you will hear me and do as I say unless your love for decapitation goes beyond my precious Heartless."

"Sora what does she mean?"

"Not now Yuna."

"I am going to leave and you are going to let me do as I please. In return you can keep your friend. If you don't do as I say he will suffer the consequences. Do I make myself clear?"

Gritting his teeth, trying and failing to come up with an alternative, Sora assented. "Yeah, that'll work."

Snow White's smile was a beatific sham. "Thank you." She picked up a small, leather bound notebook. "Oh one other thing."

Sora said nothing, just stared at the woman.

"You may wish to escape. This mansion will collapse as soon as I leave and then who knows what will be free to roam around."

And with that she swept from the room, her oddity of a Heartless following. Sora wasted no time pulling Zidane free of his prison. "Zidane wake up!" He shook the blond and he began to stir.

Yuna hurried to Sora's side. "Shouldn't we leave?"

Sora nodded. "Yeah…I'm not entirely sure how we get out though." The thought of running around that maze again was not appealing. And what about the Keyhole?

"Sora? Yuna?"

"Yeah it's us. You need to get up. We've got to get out of here."

"Sure yeah I can do that." He tried. He failed. "Yeah, no I can't."

Sora threw Zidane's arm over his shoulder and heaved him up. "We don't have a choice – it's time to go."

Yuna opened the door as Sora sort of supported but mostly dragged Zidane with them. She took the lead, opening the door at the bottom of the stairs as well and waiting for the two teens in the hallway beyond. "Hey look at this!" she called back up excitedly. "There's a new door up ahead!"

Sora moved a little faster, Zidane doing his best to move his legs in a less rubbery fashion. When the came back into the hallway Sora saw it too – there was a door where previously there had just been a dead-end. Yuna hurried on ahead and Sora, sore footed and almost carrying Zidane, chased after her.

"Do you think it leads outside?" She asked, her hand on the handle.

"Yeah, I'm sure it does eventually."

 _If it doesn't you're going to be a tad squashed._

She opened the door and revealed a rickety and winding stairwell that descended further than they could see. "Let's go!"

Yuna went first, not running but moving with cautious haste. Sora followed, glad that Zidane was finally getting a little better at supporting his own weight. They reached a landing and behind them the stairs they had just stepped off disintegrated into splinters.

"Keep going!" Sora told Yuna and the little girl dashed on. "Don't stop unless you have to or I tell you."

"Okay!"

In silence the three ran down the stairs, the minutes ticking by and the stairs crumbling away to nothingness as soon as they were off them. When they eventually hit the bottom it was just them and a door and a very long way back up.

Zidane was more or less carrying his own weight now and for that Sora was grateful – the extra weight had piled pain onto his already aching feet. Yuna was doubled over catching her breath so it fell to Sora to open the door at the bottom. Beyond was the long hallway where the darkness had come and stolen Yuna and Zidane away. Fear stirred within him. What if it happened again? Would he have time to find them again?

There was no choice and to make matters worse tremors started tearing through the house. High above glass cracked and smashed, the shards diving toward them. Sora pushed Yuna through first and dragged Zidane with him. Far up ahead he could see the front door and the burst of hope he felt overrode his pain and fear.

"Yuna run for it! Don't stop, just get to the door!"

She did so without a word. Sora looked at Zidane. "Don't worry," the blond said with a faint and tired smile. "I can make it."

Zidane hurried after Yuna and Sora followed close behind, leaving a bloody footprint trail. The ornaments lining the hallway fell from their shelves, smashing into irreconcilable pieces. The quaking grew worse, throwing their balance off and making running more of a balancing act. Yuna was the first to fall. Zidane and Sora were there to pull her back up. Behind them they could hear the hallway breaking up, huge rafters and chunks of masonry booming as they smashed into the floor that was starting to give way below their feet. But there was the door, open onto the night and as one they burst through and didn't stop until they were clear of the garden. Only then did they turn back, watching the mansion fall in on itself, plumes of wood and stone dust billowing into the chilly night air, becoming a part of the ever present mist. Before long there was nothing but a pile of rubble that just didn't seem big enough for what had once been a mansion. Sora didn't let it trouble him. He followed Yuna's lead and sat on the ground to catch his breath.

"What do we do now?" Zidane asked when he was breathless. "What about the Keyhole?"

It was as if his words called it out. Light shone out from the centre of the rubble and with a rumble planks of wood and chunks of brick shot off into the air, revealing a Keyhole below.

Sora got to his feet, Oblivion shimmering in his hand. He didn't seem happy.

"What's wrong Sora?" Yuna asked, not bothering to get up herself.

He frowned as he held his weapon out. "This was too easy."

 _Heartless, Keyholes… what's the difference?_

The voice added to his unease as the Keyhole locked with a clang. "I don't like it."

 _They're all mine._

"What exactly was easy about any of that?" Zidane demanded. "Do you need me to give you a play by play?"

The Keyblade faded away and Sora turned to his friends. "It's just…there's usually more to do before a Keyhole."

"Then this a blessing!" Yuna piped up.

"Exactly! We're finally being cut a break. Now, let's go back to the ship and get the hell out of this place. I've seen enough of it to last me a lifetime and I'll die a happy man if I never come back."

Sora forced a smile out past his unease. "Yeah, you're right."

 _Optimism. I'm glad you haven't lost you talent for it._

The trip back to the Highwind was utterly uneventful – even the mist had loosened its grip a little. So much for any Heartless escaping the mansion with them. The trio made their way back in tired silence, each with their own thoughts. Sora tried not to worry about the Keyhole but when it wasn't that he was pondering over Snow White's words and Zidane troubled him instead. He rubbed a hand over his face. What he needed was to put his feet up and sleep for a few days. Maybe after that he'd be able to start making sense of things.

The ship finally came into view, slinking out from the mist like a hulking yet eerily silent behemoth.

"I guess everyone's asleep," Zidane commented as they drew closer.

"Shouldn't they have posted guards?" Sora asked. "I thought Hollow Bastion was going to send people after us."

"They probably figured they'd let Halloween Town take care of us."

"Well that wasn't too smart."

And then they were there, back at the ship and ready to go back in. The ramp sat waiting for them and Sora figured the crew had fixed that at least because it hadn't been there when they'd left.

"Thank you Sora."

Sora looked up the ship's newly extended ramp and saw Yuki walking down. Looked like he was fine after all. "For what?"

"For sealing the Keyhole of course."

"Oh. Yeah. You're welcome." Sora stepped up to the ramp.

"Yuna, Zidane, why don't you go on ahead?" Yuki smiled. "There's something I've got to ask Sora in private. It's…um…a little embarrassing so if you don't mind…"

"Oh sure." Zidane reached down and took Yuna's hand. "We'll see you on the bridge?"

"Okay," Sora said. He took a moment to look at the ship, frowning when he realised nothing had been done to patch it up. "Hey, where are all the crew?" He asked when Zidane and Yuna were safely aboard the ship. "I figured they'd be busy mending everything. I know it's night and all but…"

"Oh, they've been captured."

"What?"

"Yes you see while you were gone I was here to see to it."

"Why didn't you do something about it?"

Yuki snorted derisively. "How can you be so naïve and still alive?"

The Keyblade sprung into his hand. "It was you?" The disbelief was sickening and Sora kept hoping he was wrong and it would just fade away. "You… you're a spy?"

"Absolutely. I've been relaying everything said and done on this ship to Hollow Bastion."

"But why!"

"Because the last thing we need is for you to kick start an uprising. Besides, you've given us plenty of worlds to target with our weapon. Wouldn't it be rude if we didn't thank you."

"How…how did I do that?"

"A sealed world somehow connects itself to all the others like it. I developed a weapon with the capability of accessing that link and destroy all in the chain."

Sora's eyes widened, his weapon slipping in his grip as he forgot he held it. "But that means…"

"Yes, it'll be farewell to that traitorous Atlantica." Yuki walked down, holding out his hand. "Now, give me the Keyblade."

Sora almost laughed. "I don't think so."

"Give it to me or you and your friends will suffer."

 _Do it. Show him. We both know what will happen._

Shrugging, Sora tossed the Key to Yuki. "It's all yours."

"Wise boy."

Yuki's hand clasped Oblivion for a single instant before it turned to light and returned to Sora's waiting hand. "What kind of game are you trying to play?" the traitor snarled.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention that. People like you can't hold the Keyblade." Sora's grin was broad. "I guess that means you won't be using it."

Growling furiously, Yuki ran at Sora. He raised his fist and before Sora could react something heavy crashed into the back of his skull. He hit the ground conscious but severely dazed. The Keyblade fizzled away.

"Can't you do anything right?"

No! It was…

"Metsu I had it covered."

"If that were the case the Keyblade would be ours. I was watching. I heard everything."

Sora tried to shake the stars from his eyes. He began pulling himself to his hands and knees, the graveyard turning massive loops around him. His vision flickered but he clung to consciousness, refusing to give in.

And then Metsu was there, yanking him to his feet, holding him up by the front of his t-shirt. "This is your last chance boy. Hand over the Keyblade or I'm going to initiate a bloodbath. Your friends are waiting aboard my ship and if I give the signal my soldiers will kill them in an instant. What do you say I go get the brat from the Highwind and kill her first?"

Sora ignored the jibe. "I told Yuki it can't be done."

"You're lying! I saw you hand it to Tsuko before."

"Well I guess he was a little less evil than you." Out the corner of his eye he saw Yuki pulling a PHS from a pocket and turning away to speak into it. "Besides it wanted to come back to me but it knew it couldn't. The Keyblade has its own will. It does what it wants."

Metsu laughed in disbelief. "And it wants to be your weapon?"

"I guess."

"Why?"

The words tumbled out of Sora in an angry rush. "Oh I don't know, maybe because I'm not the kind to go on a murderous rampage. What do you think?"

Metsu barely managed to control his rage, the fire of it burning in his eyes and tightening his muscles. Yet he restrained it, mastered it even. "And if I were to kill you?" The calm tone was far more unnerving.

Sora shrugged. " I guess it would disappear."

"Damn it!"

From within the mist a figure began to emerge, jogging at a clipped and highly trained speed. Yuki stepped up to Sora and Metsu, a look of knowing glee on his face. "Brother, a word."

Metsu pushed Sora away. "Move and I'll shoot you."

Sora offered a salute although Metsu's back was turned. The soldier in the mist came to a rigid standstill beside the two brothers, a box held in his hands. Yuki took it from the soldier who then came to stand guard over the prisoner, pulling a heavy rifle from a holster on his back. Sora tried to see what was contained within but Yuki's podgy back blocked his view.

Metsu was the first to return. "It seems, Sora, that we have a problem. We need the Keyblade and unfortunately that means we need you for now. You won't help us and somehow I doubt that even under a heavy guard you'd stay put for long."

"How well you know me."

The solider backed away, giving Metsu space. "This is a problem we must resolve." That horrible calm was back in his voice. "And this is a problem I will solve."

Sora's heart gave a nervous thump, the hairs on the back of his neck rising. Something was very wrong. He didn't speak again, not even as Yuki came to stand next to his brother. The younger sibling had a horrible grin and kept his hands behind his back. Klaxons began blaring at full alert in Sora's mind. What could he do? Nothing. Damn.

"So, here's the temporary solution."

Yuki sprung forward like an eager cat, his hands whipping out too fast for Sora to see. Only when the needle pierced his neck did he understand what was happening and by then it was far too late to do anything.

"Next time we speak I'm sure everything will be cleared up."

Sound was the first to go, the world taking on an eerie and shut off silence that was beyond the tight mist. By the time his sight faded Sora had already gone, dropping to the ground in a senseless heap.

"Hey Sora something's wrong there's nobody…" Zidane stopped dead, seeing the scene below him. "What the hell is going on?"

The solider aimed his rifle, a little red light flickering on Zidane's chest. Instinctively he pushed Yuna behind him. Metsu ordered the soldier to close in on the pair and he followed his man up the ramp. "You are hereby under arrest on order of the High Council of Hollow Bastion for treason."

"High Council?" Zidane didn't fight as the soldier clasped his wrists in handcuffs. "Since when did you get that pompous?"

"You think you know everything thief but believe me you're just as in the dark as that little fool Sora. You have no idea where the real power lies." He turned back to his brother who was heaving Sora over his shoulder. "I want him sedated hourly until we find something stronger on Hollow Bastion."

"You can't do that!" Zidane shouted as Yuna was cuffed. "If you overdose him he might never wake up!"

Metsu smirked. "Once we have the Keyblade he won't have to. Now move – we don't have all night."

 _He lay upon the ice, breathing heavily and unable to move. He tried to get up, tried to battle his exhaustion, but he couldn't. It held him down… No, it was more than that. Something had turned his body to stone and no matter how hard he tried he simply couldn't move._

 _Twilight reigned. The silence was immense. The sky above seemed endless. The clouds went on and on and on and on._

 _"You can't wake up this time."_

 _His shadow was long. Too long for such meek light._

 _"You have no idea how happy I am."_

 _He tried to say something but even his thoughts seemed too sluggish to put up any kind of fight. Half formed sentences were lost to exhaustion, petering away before they ever made sense._

 _"The drugs have pushed you too deep."_

 _Deep? Was that why the sky seemed to…_

 _"Your defences have been wiped out."_

 _Wiped out? What does that…_

 _"You stay down there where it's cold and hard to breathe."_

 _Hard to… barely notice…_

 _"A prison surrounded by water."_

 _The ice…_

… _broken._

 _"Sleep. I'll take care of everything."_

 _A hand slipped into his chest but he barely noticed. He was sinking._

 _"This is not enough."_


	32. Chapter 32

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Thirty-Two

"Gwarsh Kairi I think y'left a dent!"

The girl laughed and stepped back, tucking loose strands of red hair behind her ears. "I can knock it back out if you like."

Yuffie stood with Donald, Aerith and Leon the sidelines, grinning broadly with her hands on her hips. The group stood in a large room, not too far away from the library, that had been converted from a storage space into a training hall. Yuffie held herself proudly. "Do I know how to pick a weapon or what?"

Kairi giggled. "It was a great choice Yuffie thanks!"

Aerith blinked. "Really, are you sure?"

The redhead nodded eagerly.

Leon looked a tad sceptical as well. "Can you move easily with it?"

"Oh do you really think I'd give her a weapon she couldn't handle?" Yuffie demanded, coming to stand at Kairi's side. "This girl can fight! She just needed a few basic pointers and a lightweight weapon. She'll be beating you before you know it Leon."

"I think it suits you," Donald approved. "It's very unique."

Kairi held her hammer between her hands. It was about the length of her legs, the handle a deep red, as were the bolts that kept the hammer's head in place. From the hook flowed two long red ribbons that could be used as an emergency strap if Kairi ever lost the thick leather holster Yuffie had given her. She wore the holster on her back, the thick strap resting over her chest. She was still wearing her favourite purple and white vest but Yuffie had given her a pair of beige shorts and a pair of small boots – her own shoes had been too loose fitting and tended to slip off in the middle of fights. Around her wrists were heavy cotton black supports intended to keep aches and pains at bay. With the new ensemble and her hair tied back from her face Kairi looked a lot older and ready, it seemed, for anything.

"When can we go down to the labs?" she asked with eager energy.

"Cid reckons they'll have the way cleared by tomorrow morning," Leon answered. "He and Cloud kept finding trap after trap and that's why it's taken so long."

"Whatever's down there Ansem didn't want the wrong people finding it," Aerith concluded. "If it's taken this long to clear a safe path there must be something of use down there."

Five days had passed since Kairi's arrival on Hollow Bastion. After some much needed rest she'd been taken under Yuffie's wing, the older girl a very capable teacher. Donald, Goofy and Aerith hadn't been able to find anything of much use in the library. Nothing among the disturbing volumes of dark magic and numerous histories of the Keyblade and the Keyholes had proven to be of any use. Even the notes written by Ansem that Cid had found proved to be of little use. As hard as she tried Kairi couldn't stop all her hope honing in on the labs Cid and Cloud were clearing the way to. Wherever Sora was Ansem seemed like the kind of person who would've known the answer to finding him.

"If you're finished here I'll go get some dinner started," Aerith said.

"I'll help!" Kairi offered, her hammer sliding home into its holster. "I'm in the mood for pasta. Does everyone like pasta?"

"I call dibs on pudding!" Yuffie hollered, jumping up and joining Aerith and Kairi. "Chocolate okay with everyone?"

"I'll see how Cloud and Cid are getting on," Leon announced and disappeared from the room.

"Donald, Goofy? Are you coming?"

"We'll be there in a minute," Donald said. "I'll see if I can un-dent Goofy's shield."

"Let me know if you can't," Kairi grinned, patting her hammer.

The girls left the room, leaving the knight and the wizard behind. Goofy could tell something was troubling Donald but he knew his friend well enough to let him say it without any prompting.

"I don't think Sora would be happy with us for letting her do this."

Goofy couldn't help but agree. "But we need her – the King said."

"We're putting her in danger. What if something happens?"

"Y'can't go thinkin' like that. Kairi can fight and she's strong. Besides, we're gonna protect her too ain't we? Then there's Leon and all the others."

Donald looked a little happier. "Yeah I guess you're right." He looked up at Goofy, his expression grave. "We can't let anything happen to her. No matter what."

Goofy was equally serious as he nodded his agreement. "No matter what."

The cell was dank, damp and stank of mould. Zidane paced tirelessly, Barret sat cleaning his gun and Galuf looked as though he were attempting to reach some kind of epiphany through the reading of a plain brickwork. Yuna had been taken elsewhere, the little girl tight-lipped but refusing to cry as Metsu himself carried her away once they'd reached Hollow Bastion. And Sora? He slept on, utterly oblivious. An hour or so ago a medic, accompanied by an armed guard, had silently come to properly clean and dress the gouges on his feet and the long-forgotten cut Zidane had inflicted on him. Sora hadn't shown any sign of waking up once. The trip back to Hollow Bastion had been long and every time Sora had shown any sign of stirring Metsu had ordered him to be drugged. Now he was utterly still, breathing quietly, but looking almost as though he were dead. Occasionally his fingers would twitch as if he was trying to reach something but other than that he didn't stir.

"So we're in trouble," Zidane helpfully pointed out as he turned another circuit. "I'd pick the lock but where could we go?"

"Tifa'll thinka summin'," Barret answered.

"If she and the others haven't been captured. Yuki knows everything."

"Exactly right."

The three conscious occupants of the cell looked over to the bars where Yuki and Metsu were now standing. A guard unlocked the door and the brothers stepped in. Metsu trained a shotgun on the group while Yuki pulled a capped syringe from a pocket in his overly opulent dress jacket. Prepping it as he walked, he crouched down beside Sora.

"You can't keep giving those to him!" Zidane protested, moving forward to fight but feeling the heavy hand of Barret stopping him. "He'll die!"

"This is the last one," Yuki promised. "With this nothing other than the antidote will awaken him." He slid the needle into Sora's neck and dumped the contents. "There, now we've got all the time we need to figure out how to get what we want."

"And don't get too comfortable," Metsu advised. "Your executions are being planned as we speak."

"Aaah I've been there before," Barret said indifferently, not bothering to look up.

The brothers and the guard left, the door quickly locked and then their footsteps were echoing away into silence.

"They'll kill us all," Galuf surmised grimly. "Once they figure out how to get the Keyblade away from Sora they'll kill him too."

"We can't let 'em do it," Barret growled.

"We won't," Zidane said. "We'll fight them. We'll break out of here, find Yuna, contact Tifa and warn her and find somewhere safe to leave Sora while we…"

"That won't be necessary."

Three pairs of confused eyes moved to the source of the voice. Taking a deep breath Sora pushed himself off the floor, one hand resting lightly upon the wall. He laughed, the sound even deeper than usual. "Hm, I'd forgotten what this felt like."

"How the hell are you awake?" Barret demanded. "They jes' said..."

"Sora's not awake." He turned, his face half hidden in shadow and his eyes hooded. "I'm not who you think I am."

Zidane was the first to react. He stepped forward as he demanded, "Who the hell are you?"

He stepped into the cell's meagre light and yet it refused to dispel the shadows from his murky eyes. "I've been given many names over the years. Let's see, the most recent one was…ah yes, Seeker of Darkness."

"What did you do with Sora?" Zidane demanded, refusing to be intimidated by such an ominous title.

"Nothing," Seeker replied. "He's still here," he tapped his chest. "His mind has been locked in the deepest of sleeps thanks to those fools. Now I finally have control." He held his arms out as if to admire them. "Yes, I had indeed forgotten how all this felt."

Barret crossed the cell in two mighty steps, grabbing Seeker's shirt and heaving him off his feet. "How do we get Sora back?"

"The antidote of course. Find it, inject it and a day later he'll awaken, leaving me a mere voice once more."

"A voice?" Galuf's confusion was shared among all.

"Oh yes. I've been keeping Sora company for quite a while now."

"How come you never did anything like this before?" Zidane asked.

"Like I said Sora's mind has been placed in a sleep so deep nothing can reach him. With such an absence I can easily take control. Normal sleep is never enough." Seeker smirked, the expression alien to Sora's face. "Hollow Bastion has certainly developed some interesting drugs during their research into the Heartless." His eyes locked on to Barret's. "Put me down and we can leave."

"Firs' you promise you ain' pullin' nuthin'."

Seeker rolled his eyes. "You want to destroy the weapon and I want to destroy the weapon. Does that suffice?"

"Why do you want to destroy it?" Galuf asked.

"It's a matter of revenge," Seeker answered darkly as Barret returned him to his borrowed feet. "The true power base of this world has broken the terms of our…agreement. That is something I will not tolerate."

"That works for me," Galuf grinned.

"And just how are we going to escape?" Zidane asked.

Seeker held out his hand. Oblivion appeared, darker than ever. It's gleaming surface was touched by nothing: it's darkness was pure and unhindered. "This is the body of the Keyblade wielder after all." He pointed the weapon's tip at the cell door and with a soft clack the door groaned open.

Barret clamped his hand on Seeker's shoulder before he could walk out. "I got my eyes on you."

Seeker shrugged the man's hand off. "Whatever." He walked through the door first. "Hurry if you're coming. We'll go for the weapon first and then we'll go pay my friends a visit."

"No. We're goin' for the vaccine first and then we deal wiv' the weapon." Barret looked every inch like he wouldn't take no for an answer. "There ain't no way I'm followin' the lead of someone callin' hisself 'Seeker of Darkness'."

"Fine, we'll do it your way." Seeker shrugged. "It matters very little to me."

"This is a tad bizarre," Zidane muttered as he followed Barret and Galuf from the cell.

Seeker laughed. "You have no idea."

 _Can you hear me?_

 _I…_

 _It's alright; I know it's hard to think. Just rest, there's nothing else you can do._

 _It was cold. So cold. All he could hear was water. He was trapped deep down within that icy lake, a prison surrounded by water. There was no escape._

 _It's been so long since I've been able to reach you. I did it before – before he got a hold of you. But never mind that now, it's not important. I'm just here to tell you…to tell you that if you get the chance I would very much like you to kill me._

… _kill…_

 _He tried to look, tried to find the voice, but his eyes remained firmly closed._

 _I know all about this place and I don't want to be here. I tried to get away but he won't let me so I have to pretend. Promise me you'll kill me if you can._

 _It took everything he had but he only managed one word. Who?_

 _He didn't have enough energy left to hear the answer._

Yuna sat upon her bed silently, not quite knowing what she should do. Both she and Valefor had been scrubbed clean by a maid who had left just a little while ago. Her new clothes had been left on her bed but Yuna hadn't put them on – she didn't want to wear a dress even if it was a really pretty kimono like the one she used to wear back home in the temple. Instead she'd raided her drawers and dug out some beige cargo trousers, a yellow vest and a warm pink hoodie with a picture of the moon on it. She'd also managed to dig out a pair of black trainers. And now she and Valefor were sitting on her bed with lots of other plushies wondering what exactly to do. Where were all the others? What if they left her behind?

"No, they wouldn't do that," she whispered to herself.

But wouldn't it be a good idea if she went and found them just in case?

Deciding what she would do Yuna hurried to her big wardrobe and opened it, pulling out the backpack Red had given her when she wanted to take lots of books from the library. She took out all her books and left them on the ground, putting Valefor inside. She also dug out her old skipping rope – just in case – and even managed to find a few Potions and Ethers buried below books and clothes. She looked back to her bed, seeing her plushies and wishing she could take a few more but she had to be grown up about things right? If she was going to get out easily she couldn't weigh herself down too much.

"Goodbye," she whispered lovingly to her glass-eyed audience.

Slipping her rucksack onto her shoulders Yuna went to her door and opened it. She was about to step out when a guard stood in her path. "Where do you think you're going Miss?" He asked, his voice somewhere between a growled demand and a tone that spoke down to the child gently. "You have to stay in your room."

"B-but…" Her mind whirred into gear. "I'm hungry."

The guard almost rolled his eyes. "Fine. Stay here I'll go get you something. Will a sandwich be alright?"

She nodded. "Oooh and cake. Chocolate please! It's my favourite. "

The guard pushed her back in the room. "Alright, alright. I'll go."

The door was closed again and Yuna heard the guard locking it. Never mind. This was her room after all – did they really think she'd never found other ways out? She'd read loads of books about Hollow Bastion and managed to figure out lots of new pathways to places just in case the Heartless had come. There were no Heartless but there was still trouble. It was time to get out of here, Yuna thought with a giggle and a grin, using Secret Pathway Number One!

Yuna quickly pushed the chair from her desk under the door handle and managed, with a lot of grunts and elbow grease, to shove her bedside cabinet in front of the door too. With her door barricaded she hurried over to the broad windows, throwing them open and stepping out onto the balcony. The wind tossed her hair up, the sun shining into her eyes. She headed to the balcony's edge and looked down. Her room was two levels above Hollow Bastion's main balcony and she could see people milling about. Her eyes picked out all the stonework that jutted out enough to make a suitable staircase down to where all the people were. She climbed out just as she heard the door being unlocked.

"Time to go Valefor!"

She hopped onto a ledge and ran along past a few more bedrooms. Then she eased herself down a few more stone shelves and sidled across a very thin ledge that led to a long group of bricks that acted like a ladder. And after them it was just another ledge, a few more steps then one big jump and she would be there. After that she'd go to the library and hide until she figured out where to go next.

There was only one thing Yuna regretted. She did kind of wish she'd had time to eat the cake.

"What are we gonna do about the Keyhole?" Zidane asked quietly as the group hurried down into Hollow Bastion's labs. "We can't just leave it."

"I thought we figured it had never been unsealed," Galuf recalled. "That was the only explanation for there being no Heartless here."

"You really believe that?" Seeker laughed. "Metsu and I had a deal."

"This just gets better and better," Zidane muttered.

"In return for me keeping the Heartless away from Hollow Bastion he and his lackeys would do all they could to make sure all other worlds were sealed."

"Why?" Barret demanded from the group's rear.

"I don't think that's something you need to know just yet."

"But why do you want the worlds sealed? That doesn't make sense to me," Galuf pondered out loud. "Sealing a world makes it safe again. That hardly constitutes evil behaviour."

Seeker laughed. "It'll make sense to you eventually."

Finally they reached the corridor that led to the door with the heaviest security in all of Hollow Bastion. Zidane poked his head around the corner. "We've got two guards with very heavy firepower. Looks like they're carrying assault shotguns." Barret took a quick look and confirmed Zidane's suspicions. "I can't tell if there's any magic barriers – not my specialty."

"Move it." Barret muscled past while reaching into a pocket, pulling out a yellow Materia orb. "Scan." He was silent for a few moments. "Whoa."

"They've got lasers hooked up to the security system," Seeker answered. "There are also Petrify spells set up around the door as well."

Barret nodded. "The soldiers are pretty decked out with magic too."

"Plenty of locks on that door but they won't be a problem right Mr Seeker?" Zidane drawled.

Seeker smirked widely. "Not at all."

"And the passwords?" Galuf asked.

"We'll get past them," Seeker said. "We'll get past it all." And he stepped out into the hallway. Black smoke gathered around him in two long strands and he held out a hand, an orb so dark it ate the light around it hovering there. "Fallen Ones, I summon you."

The orb broke apart, forming two human-sized shadows on either side of Seeker just as the guards noticed him.

"You there! Freeze!"

Seeker's smirk was deadly. "Aurora, dispose of them."

The left shadow sprung forward, running the darkness off her body until Aurora looked almost like a normal person, her skin just too pale against her deep red strapless top, trousers and black leather boots. Her hands reached out and daggers similar to Zidane's flickered to life. The soldiers raised their guns but they shouldn't have bothered. Running might have saved them. Instead they died together, both taking stabs to the heart. They fell into wet piles of human waste, blood coating the ground like water from a gushing tap. Unlike the Heartless their bodies didn't sink away. They were just dead after all; the horror didn't go away conveniently.

Aurora returned just as Snow White shed her shadows. The blond woman draped herself around Seeker, kissing his cheek. "Two more for you."

"I doubt they were strong enough."

Snow White eased forward. She clapped her hands and a monster, the same one she had used to seal her deal with Sora, began its odd hobble into the path of the laser traps. A few well-aimed swings with its massive bladed arms took care of them in seconds.

Zidane, Barret and Galuf looked at each other in amazement. This was all a lot easier than they had anticipated.

"Doesn't mean I don't have a very bad feeling about this," Zidane muttered.

"We'll pay for it later," Galuf agreed with dual pessimism.

Seeker called Oblivion and he aimed it at the door. Seven locks were released and the door slid open. But the passwords hadn't been offered and alarms were howling. That was when the Petrify spells made themselves known. The Heartless took them all and it turned into an unmoving statue, grey and harmless.

"Move," Seeker ordered them all as if they were silly misbehaving children.

"Send the women firs'," Barret shot back. "I'd send you but it ain't your body to damage."

Seeker shrugged Sora's shoulders. "Fine." He looked to the pair. "Ladies?"

Both inclined their heads before taking each other's hands, walking calmly past the Heartless and through the door without suffering any ill effects. Barret shoved Seeker forward, Zidane and Galuf walking side by side behind them. The door was closed the instant all of them had crossed the threshold. If anyone had been ready to shoot off a few more insults they soon forgot the words in mind.

The lab brought all of them to a standstill; every face the picture of horror and not one was fake. No one could speak. They stood in a pristinely professional lab, the surfaces whiter than snow. All around them were glass cylinders like the one Zidane had been locked within. They had people in them too but these people weren't right. They were human but something was missing. Some were dead and had been like that for months; their ashen skin stretched too thin and large bald spots taking shape where the hair had just fallen out. But there were people locked away that were alive and healthy.

"Why?" Zidane managed to ask. "Why?" But it was all he could get out.

"Silly boy," Snow White said, bending down to inspect the readout screen of a capsule containing a living specimen. "If you had problem with the Heartless wouldn't you want to know everything you could about them, maybe even know how they were created?"

"Don't tell me you knew about this," Galuf said, shaking his head as he looked upon one of the dead.

"Of course I knew," Seeker replied. "And it angered me but we had a deal and I'm the kind of person that honours deals. Metsu does not and for that I assure you he will pay."

"Like these people are paying?" Galuf demanded in disbelief. "How could you sacrifice innocent lives for the sake of some deal?"

Seeker shrugged. "A few more Heartless running around is your problem, not mine."

"We have to get them out of here," Zidane said, stepping up to a cylinder with a live person inside. "We can't leave them to be guinea pigs."

Snow White had crossed to another terminal, tapping away on a keyboard, her eyes skating over line upon line of text. "It seems the dead ones are part of an experiment to see if mere removal of the heart creates a Heartless…"

Aurora laughed as she went to read the reports for herself. "What a stupid idea. Only a fool would have such a basic understanding of the heart."

"Indeed," Snow White agreed without pulling her eyes away. "The experiment was classified as a failure and thus the living specimens were brought in. They've been given the same sedative as our young friend but with an added dose of psychotropic drugs to see if emotions play a part in the creation of the Heartless." She cast her eyes to Seeker. "They have been most successful in this venture."

"We have to wake them up," Galuf said. "Surely even you can understand that they're innocents…"

"Innocent?" Seeker sneered. "There is no such thing. Every heart contains within it the one thing that can turn a person from human to Heartless."

"Yeah, and what is that?" Barret asked.

"Darkness."

Aurora cut in before anyone could argue. "It also says here that for 'reasons pertaining to the experiment the sedative's vaccine is exceedingly limited to the point of there being enough for one person should an incident occur. The vial is located in storage room B126, it's colouring bright and distinctly orange. I stress again there is enough for only one person.' Well, doesn't that put us in a quandary?" She looked at Zidane, then Barret and then Galuf, glee in her cold eyes. "Do you want to be heroes or do you want to save your friend?"

No one paid attention to Yuna at all. Didn't they know she was a wanted criminal? She didn't understand – she thought everyone on Hollow Bastion was bad now like Metsu and his horrid brother. She made it to the library without a single problem and even there no one had bothered to look twice at her or yell at her and send her back to the her room. She found her favourite reading spot tucked away beneath the stairs and squeezed into it, invisible to all. She had to think of where to go next and wherever she went she had to make sure she found everyone else. Where did the prisoners go? To cells. Right. But where were the cells? Hollow Bastion was huge and she was too little to look absolutely everywhere.

Upstairs was where all the important people worked so maybe they didn't like the basement much and put the prisoners down there? And hadn't everyone been talking about a lab in the basement too? But…but upstairs was bigger than downstairs so wasn't there more room upstairs for a prison?

"I don't know where to go," the little girl whispered. "But I can't stay here…" She could feel tears threatening but she blinked hard and with a little angry frown forced herself to be brave. Only a baby would cry and Yuna wasn't a baby. "I'll figure something out," she said, nodding to herself and smiling at her mature thinking. "Maybe I'll even rescue them all and they'll thank me loads and I'll get to eat all the chocolate cake I want!"

Voices began to grow nearer and Yuna instinctively curled into a tighter ball, forcing herself to become as small as she could. Soon the words were audible and what she heard solved all her problems.

"What's the plan with all our new arrivals downstairs?" The nasal voice belonged to a woman.

"Metsu plans to kill them all of course." This one was a man although his voice was higher than expected. "I think it's an awful waste but who am I to argue?"

Yuna wanted to look at the pair but she didn't dare move. If they spotted her they'd take her and kill her. She bit her lip hard to stay silent.

"What about the boy?" the woman asked.

"That's why we're here. We've got to find a way to get that weapon off him." He sighed. "Can you believe Metsu won't even let us take him once he's done? That kid's suppose to be special. He could be the one we need to finally come to understand the Heartless."

Their footfalls started thumping up the stairs, Yuna's heart pounding with each step. They wanted to turn Sora into a Heartless? Zidane and the others wouldn't let that happen! But Yuna figured she'd better be there to help 'cause they might need her help.

"Maybe if we can find some kind of proof that he'll prove useful to our…"

The rest of the words were lost to the distance and Yuna took the opportunity to push herself out her corner. She brushed her clothes down and walked out from under the stairs. She tiptoed forward, not wanting to get any unwanted attention.

"…moved the weapon?"

Yuna stopped dead as the man's voice came close once again. He and the woman were coming back down! She was out in the open, anyone could see her but what could she do? Should she go back or should she duck behind a bookshelf? She leapt behind a bookshelf and a quick brainwave sent her scrambling up it. She squeezed herself in between the shelf and the ceiling just as the two scientists stepped off the stairs.

"Yeah, I heard they'd taken it to the Council Hall," the woman said, pushing a pair of thick glasses back up her oversized nose. Under her arm she held a heavy black leather-bound book. "I think Metsu's planning on using it after the executions."

"Not before?" The man laughed, tossing back a long mane of mangy silver hair. He too held a huge black book. "Aren't we meant to show them how they wasted their lived before we kill them?"

"Nah, too overstated. You kill them and get on with things – it's far more sensible."

The man opened the door and held it for his companion to go first. "No one appreciates the little gestures anymore."

Their laughter faded away. Only when Yuna was certain she was safe did she climb down and quickly hurry back out the library. To the basement! But…

"Oh Valefor I don't know how to get there!"

"Hey! What are you doing here?"

Yuna froze, fear rooting her to the spot.

"Stay right there!"

She balled her hands into fists. Caught already? What a disappointment she would be to everyone…

"The vaccine is in a storage room just down the hall." Snow White pointed to a door almost hidden behind a worktop and numerous cabinets.

"What about the weapon?" Galuf asked. "Got any idea where that is?"

"This basement ain't that large. It ain't gonna be that far away."

Seeker rested a hand on Snow White's shoulder and she got up. "Let's move out."

Aurora took the lead, hurrying to the door. She threw it open, weapons at the ready, but there was no one around for her to kill. "Oh well maybe later," she murmured. Louder she called, "It's all clear."

Zidane followed the blond woman, Snow White behind him. A shudder worked its uneasy way down his spine, the shadow of Halloween Town still hanging over him. She didn't say anything but he could feel her eyes locked onto him, studying him. He wished he and Galuf could switch positions but Zidane was too proud to admit his weakness so he walked on down the bright hallway without saying a word.

Meanwhile Barret brought up the rear, Seeker kept firmly in his eyesight. "This place don't look like the rest've Hollow Bastion," the gunman said, looking around. "Weird."

"Grand architecture might be beautiful for a castle but it's hardly feasible for a laboratory," Aurora answered over her shoulder.

The whole area had been remodelled into a high-tech lab. The ornate architecture had been covered over with white plastic sheets and the doors ripped out to be replaced with heavy metal ones with large signs that read 'Warning! Biohazard Materials Contained Within. Use Extreme Caution…" and other such long-winded exclamations. Some of the doors had tiny, wired windows lodged in, revealing operation tables or large yet oddly empty research rooms.

"There should be people here," Seeker commented darkly as they all came to a standstill outside the room allegedly containing the sedative's antidote. "Where are they all?"

"He's right," Zidane agreed grudgingly as he opened the door. "Scientists, guards and assorted idiots…where are they all?"

The room was only large enough for two or three people. Zidane and Galuf stepped in, leaving Barret to keep the rest out.

"They're probably running some last minute checks on the weapon," Galuf said as he searched for the 'distinctly orange' vial. "They'll be using it as soon as they can."

"Got it! Heh, they even marked it 'Sedative Serum' for us. How thoughtful." Zidane jumped up and pulled something down with him. He turned to Seeker with a grin. "Hope you're not afraid of needles because…" He opened his hands, revealing the orange vial loaded into a long and exceedingly sharp needle. Zidane walked over to him, bearing the syringe with wicked glee. "You ready?"

"I'm a man of my word." Seeker tipped his head to one side. "Go ahead, inject it."

Galuf stepped around Zidane stroking his beard thoughtfully. "How about the rest of us go on ahead and find the weapon? You alright on your own Zidane?"

"Yup." He'd already injected half the fluid. "We'll catch up."

The rest of the group moved away, leaving Zidane with Seeker. "That's a pretty lame name by the way," he commented as he got down to the final third of the serum. "What's your real one?"

"Ask Sora," Seeker answered, his voice strained but the smirk still in his tone. "I'm sure he'll be delighted to tell you. Ah, I can already see the look of horror on this young face."

Zidane ripped the needle out, blood dribbling from the hole it left behind. He tossed the syringe away, leaving it to smash to the ground. "How long do you have left?"

"Twenty-four hours. Plenty of time for revenge."

"Heh, that's what you get for making deals with a rat like Metsu."

"Yes and won't he come to regret it once I'm through with him."

"What the hell are you two up to?"

"Metsu? Well he of course wants to be rid of the Heartless but there's more to it than that now and once he unveils the weapon do you think anyone who doesn't like him will have the courage to stand up to him? I am of course talking as if you were dead."

Zidane pulled a face of mock amusement. "Of course. And what about you?"

Seeker rubbed dried blood from his neck. "I told you, it's not for you to know."

"I don't agree with that. I think…"

The footsteps of the others coming back distracted Zidane and whatever he was going to say was soon forgotten. They all looked displeased although the women's eyes seemed to be tinged with fear.

"What's the problem?" Seeker asked.

"It's not here," Aurora said quietly. "It's gone."

"Where'd they take it?" Barret asked Seeker.

Seeker looked at the man as if he were too unintelligent to be in his presence. "A weapon that uses Keyholes to destroy a world. Where exactly would you take it?"

"Yeah but where is the Keyhole?" Zidane asked. "It's not like any of us know."

"We do," the Princess' chorused.

Seeker headed back the way they'd all come. "Looks like we're going upstairs."

Night had fallen hours ago over Hollow Bastion and it found Kairi sitting on the balcony outside her bedroom lost in a daydream.

"Kairi?"

She blinked and then turned slowly. Cloud stood in the doorway, sword strapped to his back and grease-stained arms crossed over his chest. He stepped out into the moonlit night. Kairi smiled at him, her shyness towards him finally gone. "Hi Cloud. Don't worry I promise I'm not going to go down to the labs tonight so you don't need to stand guard."

He walked over to her, a slight smile on his face. "Actually I was kind of surprised to find you out here. This is…I come here and think sometimes."

"Oh!" The girl blushed a little. "Sorry I didn't know. Yuffie said I could pick any room and…sorry, I'll choose another one."

"Forget it." He flicked his blond bangs out of his eyes. "This is Hollow Bastion, there are tons of places to think."

Kairi smiled in relief. Then she became composed again. "Sometimes, when I stand out here, I think maybe I remember being here before I woke up on Destiny Islands. I've always remembered my Grandmother telling me stories in the library but…" She sighed. "I don't know. Maybe it's all in my imagination."

"You should be careful with your memories," Cloud told her, his piercing eyes staring out into the night. "Don't try and make something out of them that's not real."

She nodded in agreement. "Sora used to love making up a story for where I'd come from." She laughed a little. "He was so certain I'd had the most exciting life and I wanted to believe him even though I knew it was just a story because it made me feel so much better. He and Riku couldn't wait to come and find my world." She bit her lip. "I blame myself for what happened. If I hadn't put ideas in their heads maybe things wouldn't have happened the way they did." She swallowed hard, her hand reaching up to brush the tears away quickly.

"Don't get sucked into the guilt. You'll fall apart."

"I know. That's why I'm going to find Sora and if I can I'll help him find Riku too. I have a part in the blame and I know it. I've got to make up for it. They didn't give up on me and they sacrificed so much." Her hand hovered over her chest momentarily before she snatched it away and looked up at Cloud. "I have to see him again. He's my…"

"Your light?"

"Yes."

Cloud rested his back up against the balcony's stone railing. "He told me the same thing about you. And I told him the same thing about someone very important to me."

Kairi didn't know why she and Cloud were sharing so much with each other but for some reason it felt like such a weight off her shoulders to speak with someone who understood so well. "You mean Aerith."

"No."

"Oh." She looked up at him. "Not Yuffie!"

Cloud chuckled, a calm and gentle sound that took years off his entire demeanour. "No, not Yuffie either." His eyes twinkled for a moment longer. "My light has been lost for a very long time and I made mistakes while searching for her but after I met Sora I knew I had to change and face up to my mistakes if I was to ever find her. And here I am."

Kairi rubbed her arms, feeling the cold a little. "What's her name?"

He hesitated only for a moment but he took a deep breath and said her name. "Tifa."

"It's a pretty name. I'm sure wherever she is she's looking for you too. If you never forget the ones most special to you then your hearts will always be connected."

"If a Princess of Heart tells me that I'd be a fool to not believe her."

Kairi smiled brightly. "You bet!"

They stood outside for a little while longer in friendly silence before the night's chill drove Kairi to return inside. Cloud followed her and went to leave her room. "Sleep well," he said from the door. "Tomorrow is going to be a long day."

"Cloud?" Kairi called from where she stood by her bed. "Thank you."

He left with a wave.


	33. Chapter 33

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Thirty-Three

"Yuna!"

Arms wrapped around her and Yuna barely held back a cry. Her horrified mind thought she was under attack but she wasn't being grabbed, no, she was being embraced. Yuna relaxed into the unexpected hug. "W-who?" she managed to splutter.

The arms pushed her back and Yuna came face to face with her hugger. Tifa smiled at her, tears of relief shining in her almost-crimson eyes. "Thank goodness you're alright!" the brunette woman cried, pulling the girl close again. "I've been so worried."

Footsteps came from behind and Tifa stepped back, revealing Red, Terra and Reina.

"How…?" Yuna seemed to have been reduced to single-word questions.

"We got reports from a spy onboard one of the ship's that attacked the Highwind and knew what we had to do," Reina said. "Where're the others?" It was all business with her.

"In prison," Yuna said. "But I overheard these two people and they said the weapon had been moved upstairs to the Council chambers!"

"We'll split up," Tifa commanded the group with ease and no one argued. "Terra go with Red down to the cells. Yuna, you go too okay?" The little girl nodded. "Alright then, Reina we're going up."

"Be careful!" the little girl said. "Yuki and Metsu are very bad! They hurt Sora and I think they're going to kill us all."

"We won't let them get us," Tifa promised. "The Council is going down."

Yuna hurried after Red and Terra, noticing quite suddenly that no one else was around. "Where did the normal people go?" she asked.

She didn't notice her elders' grins but Terra answered, "Away from Hollow Bastion if they've got any sense." The trio stepped outside into the bare light. "But we'll have to be careful – there's no telling who's on our side and who's out there to hurt us." The green-haired woman looked at Yuna. "Stay close sweetie, okay?"

Red nudged Yuna from behind. "It's okay. You did so well getting here alone but it's safer for us to go together right?"

The girl nodded. "We've got to find Sora and the others before Metsu and Yuki hurt them."

"I know the way to the cells," Red answered, taking the lead. "There's a secret door down in the old waterway catacombs at the castle's base. We'd better be prepared for trouble." He froze midstep. "There's someone up ahead…"

Terra drew a sword from behind her back. "We'll wait here and meet them head on."

"I'll stay back," Yuna said and backed away. "I can heal you or cast shields."

"Good girl," Red said with his ferocious but warm grin. "Ready Terra?"

"Always."

The two crouched, tensed, ready to leap into battle in a single instant.

"We gotta get a move on," Barret groused as they headed up into the dry waterway beneath Hollow Bastion. "They could use the weapon at any time."

"I get the feeling we'd know if they did," Zidane replied. "Something that can do so much damage…it's gotta make a loud sound right?"

"Why are you all so optimistic?" Seeker demanded, sounding uncharacteristically impatient. "If your luck is anything to go by the weapon has already been used and Hollow Bastion is theonly world leftstanding."

Galuf pushed their unwelcome guest forward. "You just keep your pessimism to yourself."

The walk continued in silence and soon they were outside looking at the lift that would lead them up. Zidane groaned as he went over the list of lifts in his mind that stood between them and where the weapon allegedly laid. "They really need to consider a new way for us to get around this place."

"I hardly think it's going to matter for much longer," Seeker muttered grimly, earning himself a slap upside the head from Galuf.

Barret summoned the lift, letting the ladies get on first before stepping on as well. "How much longer have we gotta listen to you?" he demanded as Zidane and Galuf pushed Seeker onto the ornate platform.

Seeker didn't respond and went to stand with Snow White and Aurora, soon deep in hushed conversation with them. The lift began levitating upwards, it's pace leisurely and hardly what was required right now. Boredom bit Zidane first and in a fit of unease he grabbed Seeker and pulled him away.

"What are you doing?"

"I don't like the idea of you three having secret conversations. You can stand here with me. Galuf, Barret?"

"Don't worry, we're on it," Galuf replied as he and Barret chose a woman each and stood by her side. "The last thing we need is these three…"

"Whoa!" Zidane's gasp of surprise halted Galuf and the lift's other occupants looked over to see Zidane reaching out and catching Seeker as he slumped backwards.

"What's wrong?" Aurora cried, pushing past Barret and hurrying over.

 _Help me!_

"It's like he's asleep," Snow White murmured. "He must've lost control."

"Lost control?" Barret asked.

"Has something happened?" Aurora asked her comrade.

 _Sora, he's coming for me! Help!_

"What are you talking about?" Zidane demanded, shifting his arms to accommodate the limp body he held a little more comfortably. "What's going on?"

"Our Master is controlling this body from afar," Snow White explained patiently. "He isn't here like we are…"

"That's a relief," Galuf muttered.

 _Promise me you'll kill me. Promise! It's the only way I'll be able to go on. Sora, please I…_

"…Other business must've come up," Aurora said. "He'll be back."

"Other business? That sounds ominous," Zidane grumbled. The lift arrived at its destination and the group stepped off. "What the hell are you lot up to?"

"We're here to get rid of the weapon of course," Snow White said calmly. "Other than that it is of no concern to you."

"Yeah like we believe that," Barret snorted. "Come on, we ain't got all day."

The group walked around the corner.

"Hey! Don't move! You're…"

"Barret!"

The man looked up. "Red?"

Red hurried forward, Terra and Yuna close behind. "You escaped?"

"Sorta."

"Sort of?"

"Well…it's kinda complicated…"

"So explain it."

Barret did so quickly. Terra and Red managed to control their shock but Yuna looked horrified. "That's not Sora?" she whispered, taking an uneasy step closer to Red's side.

"Not exactly," Zidane said. "But tomorrow he'll be alright."

As if on cue Seeker's eyes blinked open. "Put me down." Zidane almost dropped him. "My apologies, someone was meddling in affairs that were none of their business." He looked at Aurora and Snow White. "It seems we have a troublemaker in our ranks."

"I look forward to dealing with him," Aurora smirked.

"We should get moving," Terra said, not comfortable with the conversation the three strangers were having. "Tifa and Reina went on ahead but they'll need our help."

Staying as far from the Seeker as possible, Yuna stuck with Red and the enlarged group began the long journey upwards.

"What do we do if we come across anyone who tries to stop us?" Galuf asked a little uneasily. "We can't…"

"What, you can't kill them?" Seeker asked in a patronising tone. "I don't think they'll have a problem wiping out our lives."

"But they're just misguided!" Galuf protested. "Can't we just temporarily disable them somehow?"

"The enemy is always misguided," Seeker retorted. "In their eyes we're the misguided ones. There can be no half measures – we go in and we kill if and when it is necessary."

"You're just always brightening up our day," Zidane muttered.

Tifa and Reina made it to the Council chamber without a hint of trouble. The citizens of Hollow Bastion had either disappeared or locked themselves away. The room itself was unguarded and they crept in, hearing an unfamiliar crackling buzz in the air. They took the stairs slowly to avoid making too much noise.

"Status?" It was Metsu. The two women ducked down on the stairs halfway up to where the weapon stood.

"Metsu why did you never inform me of this?" Reina and Tifa shared a sharp look of confusion. Was that really Tsuko?

"We're at eighty percent of power capacity brother. It won't be long now."

"We needed a clueless figurehead to ensure our work remained secret. The one we made our deal with was never to suspect the truth," Metsu explained to Tsuko. "You are welcome to join us now."

"But…I thought that Sora was the one causing all the damage to the worlds…"

"Damage?" Metsu laughed. "No, by all means the brat has proved quite useful. By sealing the worlds he has ensured that we will have the power to destroy any that harbour the Heartless and stop anyone from standing against us. The one I made the deal with, the Seeker of Darkness as he likes to call himself, won't have the chance to stab us in the back. We'll put a stop to his ambitions before he ever knew what hit him."

"What if he isn't on a sealed world?"

"It won't matter. Once Yuki has come up with a way to remove the Keyblade from Sora's possession we'll have the power to seal any world we wish."

Reina looked at Tifa questioningly but the brunette shook her head. She didn't understand what they meant. She took a few more steps upwards, getting ever closer to the platform where Metsu, Tsuko and Yuki stood.

"But what of Hollow Bastion? Surely if it remains unsealed the Heartless could still attack us?"

Metsu snorted. "The Heartless will be destroyed along with all those other worlds that have fallen to them."

Tsuko was silent briefly. "Alright. I'm with you."

Reina had heard enough. She reached for her belt, pulled out a gleaming silver magnum, and moved to run up the stairs. A hand landed on her shoulder and she blinked in confusion. It wasn't Tifa – she was still in front of her. Reina looked up to find Zidane behind her, finger pressed to his lips, shaking his head. She leaned back and saw Barret and Galuf behind him.

"You got here fast," she whispered.

"A little too fast maybe," Zidane murmured. "The hallways were very empty. Barret thinks it could be a trap."

Reina tapped Tifa and pointed to the new arrivals. Before anyone could say anything else another voice came from above.

"Metsu, how pleasant to see you again."

"How did Sora get up there?" Tifa asked the others.

"Uh…well…" Zidane scratched his head. "Now, that…yeah that's kinda complicated."

"He must've gone up the other stairs," Reina surmised.

"Well yeah sure," Zidane confirmed. "But there's something you need to…"

"How the hell did you escape?" Metsu demanded. "You shouldn't even be awake!"

"It's funny how one's plans change."

Tifa was confused. "What's going on?" she asked the three men. "He sounds…"

"Different?" Barret concluded. "That's 'cause we ain't exactly in the company of Sora at the moment."

"You really want to start making sense Barret."

"It'd probably be better if you saw for yourself," Galuf said quietly. "Come on, let's get up there." And the five of them ran up the last of the stairs.

"Did you really think you could fool me Metsu? Did you truly believe I would be idiotic enough to trust a weasel such as yourself?"

Metsu looked past the Seeker, Aurora and Snow White and saw the new arrivals. "It seems security here is a tad lax." The comment was aimed at his brother.

"Apologies Metsu." Yuki sounded utterly uninterested, his attention absorbed by the computer screen his eyes were locked on to. "However we are at ninety percent output. It won't be long."

Metsu turned back to Seeker. "I don't know who you think you are Sora but you are already too late. As you can see, the weapon is practically ready. I removed the wall concealing the Keyhole and we both know the one I made the deal with assured me the Heartless will never attack this world. It never occurred to me that you would be working for him."

The weapon in question looked like a bullet only one made to be several thousand times larger than it's little sibling. Balanced on a narrow platform with countless steaming tubes running off into numerous machines, its casing was silver and it gleamed in the flickering light cast over it from the Keyhole.

Seeker laughed. "You're addressing the wrong person. This body is not mine and I am not Sora. I assure you he most certainly isn't working for me."

"Who are you then?" It was Tifa who asked.

"I am the Seeker of Darkness and it is I who is truly in control here. The Heartless, the worlds, everything belongs to me." Seeker's face twisted into a livid mask of rage."Metsu you are the fool. You could never use the Keyblade for your own desires and you never stood a chance of manipulating me. Did you think you were the only one to benefit from our deal? Did you not consider, even for a brief moment, why I wanted the worlds to be sealed?"

Metsu was trying to save face by putting up a boldly nonchalant front. "Why would I care? It means nothing to me."

Seeker's slow, dark grin told Metsu he had made an epic mistake. "You and your pathetic brother signed your death warrants the day we met. Maybe I could've had a use for you but the moment you betrayed me with this," he pointed squarely at the hissing weapon, "your usefulness came to an end. Snow White, Aurora, show them how we deal with traitors."

Tsuko had been forgotten and as the two woman moved in for the kill, the sound of the former Council leader's footsteps pounding madly down the stairs distracted the others.

"Should we go after him?" Reina asked, her gun still in her hand.

"Forget 'im, he ain't worth it," Barret answered. "He'll get his."

There came a scream, prolonged and dripping with agony. Tifa watched in horror as Aurora clubbed Yuki away from the console with a single fist before slamming her hand into his chest. "What are you doing?" she cried. "Stop it, you'll kill him!"

"Would you rather I allowed him to kill you?" Seeker asked as he breezed by on his way to the Keyhole. "If that's what you'd like I can make it happen."

Tifa watched as Snow White dealt with Metsu. "Who…what are you?"

Seeker ignored her and he stepped up to the Keyhole. "I should've done this a long time ago." He stepped through, disappearing into the sickening swirl of colours.

"We should go after him!" Reina cried.

"I don't think that's a good idea. We don't even know what's in there," Galuf reasoned. "Besides…"

"We've gotta stop the weapon," Tifa said and, trying to ignore the pitiful hollers of anguish, ran to where Yuki had been monitoring the weapon. She paused for a moment, taking stock of what she saw.

"Can you stop it?" Barret asked, hurrying to her side. "It don't look familiar...like that one from…back then."

Tifa looked at him, old pain glimmering in her eyes. For a moment she froze, lost in the past. "I…"

"You can do it Tifa!" Zidane encouraged, his eyes never leaving the Keyhole.

"He's right. 'Sides this place don't have the technology to make bombs like the Shinra did."

"Yeah." She breathed a heavy sigh. "You're right." Tifa's hands few over the controls as she disengaged the weapon and rendered it useless. Just as a message flashed on screen confirming that the weapon was powering down the screaming began to break off, the life in the two brothers' eyes finally draining away.

For a moment everything was calm and quiet. Snow White and Aurora stood up, forgetting the bodies they left behind. Snow White looked toward the Keyhole, a faint smile on her face. "The Master must be having fun today."

Aurora nodded. "Yes, it's been too long since he had a chance like this."

Weapon forgotten, strange newcomers remembered, Tifa rounded on her friends. "Who is this 'Seeker'? What happened to Sora?"

Zidane gave her the low-down and concluded with, "He's our enemy but we needed him."

"But it seems I no longer need you." The Seeker emerged from the Keyhole, his breath puffing out in the air. A noticeable chill pierced the air.

"Oh my…" Reina whispered, her eyes wide. Ice broke out of the Keyhole, trickling down the stairs. "This world…Hollow Bastion…It's…"

"Going to freeze over, yes. It will soon be fallen." Seeker looked over at the women. "Done?" They nodded. "Good." He looked back to Zidane, Tifa, Barret, Galuf and Reina and frowned. "Who's missing?"

"Terra, Yuna and Red went to secure our way out of here," Zidane said loudly to be heard over the snapping ice. "And you're coming with us one way or another. Your joyride is almost over."

"Oh, not quite. Snow White? Show them."

She reached into the folds of her dress and pulled out a syringe. "We need to take this body elsewhere," she said coolly, walking toward Seeker. "You see, the drugs are wearing off and the boy is beginning to awaken. The Master could easily rouse him if so wishes it. But we need Sora and he would never come willingly. It looks like Metsu's life wasn't a complete waste – after all he provided us with the tools for getting what we were after."

"'What you were after'? You were here for the weapon," Galuf reminded the woman, tearing his eyes off the Keyhole as it continued to vomit ice and even snow. "What else could you possibly want?"

"Why, the Keyblade of course."

A shot rang out and Snow White screamed, her whole hand and the syringe flying away in one blood-soaked blast. Reina didn't lower her weapon. "You may have double-crossed them," she nodded towards the dead brothers, "but you won't beat us so easily."

"Aurora, deal with them!" Seeker turned to Snow White. "My poor, poor beauty. Can you fight?"

Snow White's eyes were creased with agony but it was the pain that fed her rage. "I will kill the one who did this to me."

"Good. You understand that I must leave now. If I don't we will still fail."

"I understand. Hurry, before your time runs out."

As Snow White drew herself to her full height, Seeker backed away and before anyone could stop him he jumped over the platform's side and was running out of the Grand Hall.

"Somebody stop him!" Tifa cried out as she parried a blow from Aurora with a foot. "Don't let him get away!"

"I'm on it!" And Zidane was gone, chasing after Seeker.

Snow White and Reina's gazes locked onto one another even as the world around them slipped deeper into death. "You will pay!" Snow White screamed, her beauty erased by her twisted rage. "How dare you hurt me so? How…" Another shot, this one to her chest, ended Snow White's rant. But she didn't topple over and die. Blood gushed from her chest, ruining her gown, but she didn't stop and she was on Reina in an instant. Only a volley of bullets from Barret saved Reina's heart but the battle was far from over. Snow White even had a hole through her head but she didn't succumb.

"We're in serious trouble," Galuf muttered, preparing a powerful black magic spell.

The world was ending but they were trapped in a castle at its very peak. Tifa fell back to summon Bahamut as Barret took a few shots at Aurora, pushing her back against the platform's edge. "We're not going to die here!" Tifa yelled before the dragon shot down from the heavens above.

Ansem's labs were like a treasure trove. The resources the man had managed to gather were impressive. He had ancient manuscripts piled on desks, carvings catalogued and locked in cabinets and notebooks brimming with his own thoughts and discoveries. Donald and Goofy had been carting the documents up to Aerith all day and Donald had told Kairi that many of them looked promising. Kairi's glimmer of hope was becoming stronger each time they found something new. Finally they were getting somewhere!

However it didn't take long for Kairi to discover the darker side to Ansem's secret labs. She had been going through a cupboard against a far wall when something at the bottom caught her eye. Tossing the numerous lab jackets and empty test tubes on the floor behind her, she found a large switch. Pressing it she gasped as the back of the cupboard slid away, revealing a dark, stinking room. Shadows swamped the room but she managed to see the light switch on the right hand side. Harsh white light brought the room into hideous life and Kairi was unable to silence the scream of horror that burst out.

The room was a disorderly morgue. Body bags were piled everywhere – on stretchers and on the ground. Some even looked as though they were about to slip from their resting places in the hollowed-out walls and more still had been tossed haphazardly in the unlit incinerator. There were bags that hadn't been properly sealed and grey, rotting limbs poked out. Kairi backed away in revulsion but even as her heart pounded and her breath caught in her throat she couldn't tear her eyes away. Bodies, so many dead, forgotten in a secret room. All had been there for years – she imagined some of them were probably skeletons but some, somehow, had clung tenaciously to their putrid flesh.

It was Yuffie who finally pulled her away and turned her around to block out the sight. Cloud, Leon and Cid took in the sight themselves,all clearly effected.

Kairi tried to dispel the images by closing her eyes but in her mind they were as fresh as the real sight. "I've…I've never seen so many…so many…"

"It's okay," Yuffie said as she hugged Kairi, her own voice shaking from the sight. "They're only bodies. They can't hurt us."

"Ansem's madness drove him to such lengths…how did no one ever find out before it was too late?" Leon murmured, his hand held to his chin.

"The ones who knew are probably in there," Cloud muttered darkly.

"We knew he experimented on humans but I didn't realise the extent," Leon continued.

"D'ya think…maybe…there's anything useful in there?" Cid asked.

Cloud looked at the greying man. "It wouldn't surprise me if Ansem hid his darkest secrets in the nastiest places."

"I think I'd better get some air," Kairi said.

Cid looked pointedly at Yuffie who nodded her understanding. "Me too. Come on let's get out of here."

With the girls gone, the men looked again into the dark little room with its grey walls and piles of bodies. As they pulled on dusty lab coats, surgical masks and gloves (all found earlier in a supply cabinet) they wordlessly began sorting through the nightmare.

"Where do we take them?" Cloud asked as he unzipped a bag.

"I don't know," Leon answered.

"We'll figure it out later," Cid concluded.

And the long, sickening process continued in silence respectful of the dead.

 _Light. Light was breaking through the water._

 _Voice, are you here?_

 _Nothing._

 _It was hard to breathe, hard to think, but at least there was some light now._

 _Voice, why do you wish to die?_

 _No, it was gone._

 _Finally, at long last though, he could open his eyes and see light._


	34. Chapter 34

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Thirty-Four

Zidane made it to the outside balcony just in time to watch Seeker leap over the side. "What the hell are you doing?" he yelled but the wind threw his voice away.

He watched as a midnight blue light shone around Seeker and his plummet turned to flight. Shaking off his awe, Zidane jumped off the higher tier of the balcony and ran for the elevator. He looked down and saw Seeker landing. The lift blocked Zidane's view but as soon as he was onboard he gazed over the edge and saw an odd sight. Seeker was on his knees, breathing heavily. The lift came to a standstill and Zidane hopped off.

"Well, aren't you going to capture me?" Seeker asked sounding pained but managing a wry grin. "It looks like I was too hasty channelling my power through this body. I should've realised darkness would damage someone who's only ever fought with light."

Zidane stepped closer, reaching for his weapons. "We're gonna go to the docks, find the others and lock you in a room until Sora's back."

Seeker didn't reply. His breathing was heavy, his face flushed and his eyes clenched shut. He didn't cry out but it was clear he was feeling pain.

"You look rough."

"I'd forgotten…" he paused, wiping sweat from his forehead with a shaking hand. "What this felt like."

Zidane placed a warning hand on Seeker's shoulder. "What?"

"Pain." Seeker reached out and grabbed Zidane's arm, the grasp shockingly strong. "But I'm not ready to take a step back yet. Stopga!"

For Zidane it was as though he had blinked but in his missed time Seeker had gone. Cursing he ran on, hoping he wasn't already too late.

Bahamut's fire reigned down unrelentingly until the summon was spent. Tifa found her opponents lying face down and neither showed signs of moving.

"We'd better get going after Zidane," Tifa said, taking a calming breath.

Aurora's fingers twitched.

"You go!" Barret ordered, pushing her to the stairs. "He'll need back up. Leave her to us. You got a PHS?"

"Yeah…"

"Don't worry, I've got one too," Reina replied. "Call if you need us."

"Got it!"

Aurora got to her feet just as Tifa ran out the Grand Hall. The blond woman cast an uncaring glance at Snow White whose body was slowly sinking away. "She may have been the smartest but she was always the weakest fighter. Farewell dear Snow White, you have my pity."

"You're gonna be joinin' her," Barret said, aiming his gun. He took two shots but both missed. Aurora was gone, jumping high into the air. She came down, swatting Barret out the way as if he were a toddler. He crashed into the weapon, obviously dazed. Barret wasn't going to be getting up for a few minutes.

Aurora turned to Galuf who unleashed an Ultima attack. It hit her and Aurora slammed into the ground, blood spluttering from countless wounds. But she didn't stay down and as Galuf stepped back to prepare another blast of black magic, Reina took the front line.

Wiping the blood from her nose Aurora looked at Reina, hatred blazing in her eyes. "I'll have to take Snow White's revenge for her," she said, spitting out more dark blood. She covered the distance between her and Reina in a heartbeat. Reina managed to fire off a single shot before the gun was sent spiralling through the air, her wrist snapping with the force of Aurora's blow. Reina cried out, stumbling backwards.

"Die!"

Aurora's hand pierced Reina's chest.

Reina's head fell back, blinded eyes were wide, her mouth locked open but the scream lodged in her throat.

"Reina!" Galuf cried, spell forgotten. Unarmed he ran forward. He would never make it on time. "No!"

Barret aimed to fire but even the bullets that ripped through Aurora's body failed to stop her.

Aurora worked quickly and when Reina's body hit the floor she was gone. Pink hair splayed out around her head, arms and legs jutting out, eyes lifeless, body frozen and that was all. Reina had lost her heart.

Barret seethed. He let rip with a stream of hideous language and bullets tore out of his gun arm, hitting their target unerringly. Aurora didn't fight back. She laughed at the pain, laughed even as her body was torn apart under a flurry of scalding metal.

But Galuf's pain went deeper, far deeper. He took a step forward, his old eyes dark with fury that unleashed a spell he had never been able to manage until this moment. He didn't need to scream the word. He barely even spoke it. He whispered it. "Meteor."

Chunks of rock wreathed in the hottest flames pummelled down from the roof high above. Galuf's spell was out of control and Barret had the sense to move both of them out of its path. Aurora held up her arms, welcoming death.

"Master, a new heart for you!" she cried out. Her manic grin never left her face, even as her body was being battered. She locked eyes with Galuf. "Burn me all you wish but today I have won!"

"Shut it!" Barret snarled, an orb of green materia clenched in his hand.

But he didn't need to use the any of the spells within the Contain Materia. Galuf's magic wasn't done. The largest meteor came last and it tore Aurora from her feet, snapping her body in half as it smashed her into a wall on the Grand Hall's far side. Her torso sank into the wall on impact but her legs, like those ripped from a cloth doll, tumbled to the ground before disappearing. Blood coated the wall like a careless splash of gory paint, slipping to the floor ever so slowly. The spell died down to a mere rain of pebbles before Galuf's magical energy dissipated and the meteors ceased entirely. The bearded man sank to his knees by Reina's lifeless body. With a muffled sob he reached out and closed her eyes with his fingers, brushing the hair from her lifeless face.

"Galuf…"

"I know," he said quietly, taking the PHS before arranging her limbs more naturally. "We have to go."

"Sorry man…I…"

"It's alright. Reina's alright. She always did miss her loved ones no matter how hard she tried to hide it. Now…now she can be with them again." He stood up, brushing his tears away. They could mourn later. Right now the Keyhole was still spewing ice and they had a runaway to deal with. "Let's move."

The ice trailing slyly after them, Galuf and Barret fled the Grand Hall.

 _The light…no…his prison was visible. He could move, he could try and get free. Once he was free…_

Catching her breath as the final elevator took her down to the library level, Tifa grabbed the PHS and dialled Terra.

"Yes?"

"Any luck securing us a ship?"

"Yeah, we're onboard now and Red's just finished firing her up. It's small but the latest model. Sadly it doesn't have a warp drive but it's the best we could get."

"Is Yuna safe?"

"Perfectly."

"You need to be out of that dock and ready to meet us by the main door. We've been betrayed."

"By who?"

"Someone calling himself the Seeker of Darkness has possessed Sora and he did something to the Keyhole. This world is freezing over. We don't have much time!"

Terra didn't pause in shock, she just sounded even more determined. "Got it. We'll be by the Rising Falls ASAP!"

A beep sounded in Tifa's ear. "I gotta go, it's the others."

"Good luck."

"Thanks." Tifa jumped off the lift and switched PHS lines in one move. "Reina?"

"Nah, me."

"Barret! How's everything?"

"…Tifa…"

She almost stopped but she forced herself to keep jogging even as freezing fear trickled down her spine. "What? What's happened?"

"Reina…she's…we lost her."

Tifa fell to her knees, the bruising impact lost to her sorrowful mind. "No… No!"

"Tifa I'm so sorry."

She made an inarticulate sound as the tears began to flood down her cheeks. She took a few shuddering breaths and forced herself to focus. "How?"

"Aurora…the blond one."

"Is she…?"

"Dead? Yeah." Barret paused before continuing. "Come on Tifa, we can all grieve later but right now you gotta move. We ain't got the time. Zidane might need ya!"

"Yes, yes you're right of course." She stumbled to her feet, the world a fractured mess of lights and blurs until she cleared the tears. She stumbled down the stairs, still clutching the PHS to her ear. "Where are you?" She asked, walking quickly through the lift area.

"Just hittin' the first lift on the way down."

"I've…uh…Terra's meeting us with a ship. She said…" It was so hard to concentrate. She turned into the corridor that led to the Main Hall. "Um…she's gonna meet us by the Rising Falls."

"Good. Come on Tifa, keep goin'."

"Yeah I…" Her words broke off in a high-pitched gasp.

There were muffled shouts but Barret couldn't make out the words. "Tifa? Tifa!"

"Barret…here and… got a gun. Oh my… Barret you…hurry! …Sora he's…"

The line went dead with a burst of gunfire. Cursing Barret hammered the keys of the PHS.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Galuf asked.

Barret waved his gunarm. "Terra, it's me. We got a problem."

 _Getting there…the ice is breaking! Water gushed in but he paid it no heed. He punched and kicked, realising the light was still a long way away no matter how bright._

 _But it would be his again._

 _Water gushed in but he paid it no heed even as the chill wrapped around his body and numbed his hands. But he didn't stop. He couldn't. He had to get out right now. Maybe he could find Voice. Maybe he could just find his friends. Everything would work out as long as he got out and made it all the way back to the light so far above._

 _And then he was free, pulling himself out into the water. For a moment he hung in the water, relishing the feel of the water. It was freezing but it was freedom. He looked around in wonder. He had never been so deep._

 _Oh. What it…_

 _He looked down and just as he hoped it was there, that shining castle locked below the ice. He could see it in all its glory. He knew that place…he hadn't been there but he knew it. He'd been told so many stories about it by his two friends it was almost as if he'd lived there too. Like a bubble that had been waiting to burst, it finally hit him. Of course!_

 _Disney Castle._

Zidane had gotten lucky. Seeker's control was obviously slipping and when he caught up with the possessor in the Main Hall it was clear he was just getting over another bout of unexpected pain.

"That was a cheap trick," Zidane told him, jumping down to the lower level. "This is as far as you go."

Seeker's smirk was ugly and gleaming with foul glee. "Did you really think once my work here was done I'd still follow your lead?" He held up a hand and Oblivion appeared. "No, I don't think so."

Zidane grabbed his daggers, bending down ready for a fight even as his heart screamed he couldn't do this. "Should've known you'd pull something."

"But of course." And he sprung forward, spinning the Keyblade over his head and swinging it in the hopes of decapitating Zidane.

Zidane stood his ground, crisscrossing his daggers over his head as he bent back and caught the Key on the blades. Pushing Seeker off balance, he pulled the daggers away and instead aimed a kick for his opponent's chest. He missed, his foot thrown away by the Keyblade.

"You can't incapacitate me!" Seeker's hand shot out, ready to unleash another spell. "If you want to stop me, you'll have to kill…" A tremor shot through his body and his hand fell. "Damnit, not now…"

Zidane seized the opportunity and slammed a fist into Seeker's chin. He stumbled backwards, giving Zidane time to hook his daggers through Oblivion's chains and chucking it to the far reaches of the room. The Key clattered to the ground by a watchful suit of armour.

Zidane stood over the prone Seeker. "What did you hope to accomplish, stealing Sora's body?"

Seeker looked up, still smirking despite the pain he seemed to be in. "Accomplish? Everything I've ever planned of course but…" he groaned, his entire body slumping that much further to the ground. "…But perhaps I underestimated Sora…" He pushed himself back to his feet. Seeker's malicious eyes met Zidane's. "Can you do what needs to be done to stop me? Somehow I doubt it." He began moving away again, leaving Zidane standing still. "It won't be long before Sora awakens – it seems he doesn't wish to wait a day. But I'm not done with him yet." Seeker was getting stronger with each step he took. "And I will get what I want." He came to stand by the Keyblade and he kicked it into the air, plucking it out the air as it came toward him. "So, Zidane Tribal, Angel of Death… Will you live up to your creator's expectations or will you allow me to escape?" Two steps forward. "What's that attack Sora likes to use? Oh, of course." He ran back to Zidane. "Ars Arcanum."

The blows came thick and fast from every conceivable angle. There were too many to fend of completely and Zidane took several blows, deep gouges torn in his arms and hands as he desperately tried to defend himself. He couldn't fight back but surely the alternative was worse? If Seeker took Sora away there was no telling where they would go or what would happen.

"Make up your mind!" Seeker swung the Keyblade in several arcs until it once again hung ready to cut Zidane's head from his shoulders.

The blond said nothing; he just shot forward with his right hand blade raised.

Seeker laughed as he turned away. "I don't believe you can do it!"

But it was about to be his painful loss. Zidane ignored all his instincts and stabbed, the blade sinking into the body of his friend. When he pulled it out, stained and dripping with hot blood, Seeker had a look of livid disbelief twisting his features.

"Let him go," Zidane ordered calmly, pressing his left blade to Seeker's other side. "I've gone halfway, do you really think I won't finish the job? After all, you seem to know of my creation and purpose. Maybe I'm not a complete failure after all."

Blood leaked out of Seeker's side with worrying speed but that didn't stop his angry words. "When we meet again, you'll be the first I kill. You will know nothing of what I have to offer, just the endless depths of hell itself." He pushed Zidane away as his knees began giving out. "This pain…" He looked at his hand, looked at the blood that coated it. Horror stole what little colour remained in his cheeks. "How could I forget such pain?" His voice cracked with abhorrence. "No… This isn't the way. Not like this. It was never meant to be this!"

 _There!_

"Let Sora go! I'll kill him if you don't leave and then where will you be?"

 _Out!_

Seeker didn't reply. His eyes closed and when they lifted again the darkness was gone, agonised confusion bathed in light lingering instead.

"Sora!"

His hands were trembling, trying to hold the blood back but it oozed through his fingers. The wound in his side was deep, deeper than Zidane had meant to inflict. He couldn't stop the blood. It was everywhere, absolutely everywhere, splashing on the floor and over his hand and down his leg and covering his clothes. Did he really have that much in him? Wow… He almost grinned.

Zidane caught him as he sunk to the floor, lying him down flat on his back. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry Sora. I'm so sorry."

"Wh-what's happening?" Why was it so cold? Hadn't that just been in the dream?

"Everything got a little…crazy." Zidane's hands pressed down on the wound, eliciting a sharp cry from his injured friend as he desperately tried to staunch the bleeding he'd started. "Save your strength. I'll explain later. " Sora's gaze grew distant. "Stay with me! Don't close your eyes. You've gotta stay awake."

"I finally figured it out," Sora murmured, glassy eyes looking up. "I know where that place is."

"Place?"

"From my dream."

"Tell me."

But Sora's thoughts were already drifting elsewhere. A strange sort of smile tickled his pale lips. "I-it's funny."

"Yeah? What is?"

"I…I can feel my heart beating."

Zidane tore his hoodie with his clean knife to use as a bandage but within moments of being pressed against Sora's side it was soaked in blood. He managed a laugh in spite of his mounting horror. "Good, that's what it's meant to do Sora."

"Yeah…but…" His eyes slid shut. "It's getting slower… That's…weird…"

"No! No Sora you have to wake up."

… _don't know this place._

Pain squirmed through him once again and his eyes sprung open. It was so dark here. "Zidane?"

 _But so many others do._

Sora reached out with a blind hand.

Zidane grabbed it. "It's okay, I'm here."

"There's a…voice."

 _Can you bring it happiness?_

"Tell me about it. Tell me about anything you like just don't…"

 _Can you bring anyone happiness?_

His eyes closed again and this time they didn't open.

"Sora! Sora!" Zidane released Sora's hand. He needed both of them to hold back the flow of blood.

 _They need you to._

"Don't move! Stay exactly where you are!"

He yelled without thinking. "I'm not exactly going to move!"

Zidane, hands covered in another's blood even though he was now holding the whole hoodie to Sora's side, looked up. A suit of armour had moved. The helmet was gone and in one metal glove a gun was clenched. Zidane met the eyes of Tsuko. "This is not a good time!"

A shrill gasp came from above and both Zidane and Tsuko looked up to see Tifa.

"Tifa hurry! Help me! Sora's dying!"

"Don't move!" Tsuko almost screamed. "Don't you…"

Tifa's panicking voice addressed the PHS and she told Barret as much as she could before Tsuko took aim and shot it from her grasp, the bullet grazing her skin. "Get down here now!"

Tifa ran to Zidane's side. "What happened?"

Zidane went to speak but Tsuko cut him off. "Shut up! Nobody speaks!"

But Zidane had run out of patience long ago. "If we don't do something he will die!" Sora's blood was creating a pool that grew with terrifying speed. "Let Tifa cast a Cure at least!"

Tsuko considered for a moment. "Fine. Do it."

Tifa's Cure3 staunched the flow to a slower ooze. It wasn't much but it would give them a little more time. Another idea hit her and she cast Regen, the spell glowing a soft red over Sora's body ever so slowly. She hoped it would return some of Sora's lost strength and keep him with them for as long as Tsuko played hostage taker. Tifa looked at him in desperation. "Please, Tsuko, there's nothing left for you to do here." She tried to keep her voice calm but the horror of the situation and the knowledge of Reina's death was too much and the panic trickled in. "This world is going to freeze. We all have to leave before the Heartless come. Let us go so we can save Sora! He's too young to die like this. Tsuko please!"

"No."

Kairi sat in the Grand Hall, in the exact spot where Sora had sacrificed himself for her. She'd been there for over an hour, gazing at the Final Keyhole, lost in thoughts of labs and bodies. She shuddered as the images flashed again over her mind's eye. She sighed and let her head fall until it rested on her knees.

Before she had taken the long journey up she'd been sitting quietly in the library with Aerith, Donald and Goofy. Cid had come up on his own eventually to tell the others that they'd found a few more diaries and research notes. When Aerith enquired as to the fate of the bodies, Cid said Cloud had already fired up the old incinerator and many of the old corpses were gone. Donald and Goofy were still helping Aerith catalogue all the documents but Yuffie had escaped soon after making sure Kairi was in the company of others. It was only when she had sat in the library in silence that Kairi realised she hadn't been back upstairs since Sora had saved her. Excusing herself quietly she had left.

And there she was, glancing up at something that held so many memories for her. Her heart still squeezed in anguished horror whenever she remembered seeing Sora disappear. She blinked hard to keep the tears at bay. What if she'd failed and hadn't been able to bring him back? Her breath caught in her throat until she shook herself. She didn't need to imagine the worst because it hadn't happened. But the worry had haunted her nightmares and left her sweating and in tears. How many times had she woken up from the dreams that left her feeling as though she were the only person left alive in all the worlds?

Maybe coming up here hadn't been such a good idea. Kairi pulled her head from her knees. Yes, this had been a bad idea. Her heart was aching with the distance and being here somehow made it so much worse.

A chill hit the air. Kairi was on her feet in an instant, hammer in her hands. The Final Keyhole was buzzing as it always did but something was different. Something had definitely changed and it made Kairi edge toward the stairs.

The Keyhole was glowing blue.

"Kairi, you in here?"

"Yuffie?"

"Yeah…what's wrong?"

"I think you should see this."

A few moments passed until Yuffie reached Kairi's side. She looked at the Keyhole and her previously cheery face grew heavy with concern. "It's not meant to be doing that."

"I know. What do we do?"

Yuffie shook her head. "I don't know. Keyholes aren't exactly my expertise."

A sharp pain jabbed into Kairi's chest and she cried out, clutching her heart. She knew what it meant. She'd felt it that night so long ago when Destiny Islands had fallen apart.

"Yuffie we have to go!" Rubbing the pain away with one hand, Kairi grabbed Yuffie with the other. "The Heartless are coming!"

An inhuman hand stretched out of the azure Keyhole. The arm pulled itself free and was joined by another and the body they were connected to.

A new kind of Heartless had come to Hollow Bastion.

"Is that…is that really a Heartless?" Yuffie sounded panicked. "It looks…"

Other limbs were joining the first. At least five single entities were coming through. Yuffie uttered a curse and ran faster.

"I know, they look like people…" They didn't stop running to take a better look. "We'll tell the others and see what they think."

"We don't need to see what they think! We need to tell them, hey the Heartless are here what do you say we either one: kill them or two: flee. Personally I'm all for two because there is only one way the Heartless could be here."

"The Keyhole's been unsealed. But…how?"

"I dunno."

The two girls made it to the Chapel and saw a terrifying sight.

"This is not our day." Kairi raised her weapon and Yuffie reached for the Conformer.

The Heartless were blocking their path out of the Chapel.

"This is bad," Yuffie stated unequivocally.

Kairi's hands tightened around her weapon. "Are you ready?"

"We only have to clear a path. We've gotta get to the others and figure out what our next move is. If the Keyhole is unsealed we'll have to leave. There's nothing we can do."

Kairi nodded. "On three."

"One…"

"…Two…"

"…Three! Let's go!"


	35. Chapter 35

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Thirty-Five

Kairi scored the first kill, her hammer taking the Heartless out with a powerful uppercut. They were down to five but then Yuffie's Conformer slashed out and brought the total down to four.

"If they're all this easy we're not gonna have a problem!" Yuffie called as she took out another Heartless, this one looking like a longhaired woman, with a quick blast of Fire3. "Woo yeah, only three to go! This is easy!"

Kairi wasn't celebrating.

"Yuffie, this is weird!" Kairi called as she swung her hammer in a horizontal slash, another Heartless ripped through and falling away.

"What is?" Yuffie called back.

"Haven't you noticed? They aren't attacking us!"

"Yes they are that's why we're…oh."

Kairi fell back and put distance between herself and the Heartless. Yuffie quickly joined her. Between them they'd taken out four of the six Heartless in record time. One hit and they were gone. It didn't feel right.

"Why aren't they attacking us?" Kairi asked, catching her breath. "Look at them. They're just sort of…floating there."

There were only two Heartless but their aimless drifting still cut off Kairi and Yuffie's retreat. Occasionally the human-shaped Heartless looked at the girls but never made a move to attack. They were lethargic and dull, slumped and disinterested.

Yuffie shivered. "Is it cold in here?"

Kairi nodded, her breath puffing out. "Freezing."

"Let's just take them out and get to the ground floor." Yuffie suggested, raising her weapon. "Aerith can figure this out."

"Yeah, maybe Donald and Goofy met some Heartless like these too."

"Let's move."

With ridiculous ease the final Heartless were gone. The girls wasted no time, running to get downstairs as fast as possible.

 _Darkness and Light…_

 _He lay upon the ice, breathing slowly._

 _The barrier was so fragile._

 _He looked to the hill, to that old crumbling place. It was no good. He still didn't understand what it meant._

 _The ice is paper thin you know._

 _He nodded. He knew. He was forever falling through and then finding his way back out._

 _What if…_

 _What if he wasn't the only one who could fall through?_

"So what do you intend to do?" Tifa demanded, getting to her feet to meet Tsuko face to face. "This world is freezing over, there's nothing you can do!"

The world was starting to freeze around them. The walls were being coated in ice that snuck in through open doors and out of the shadows. Tifa knew it wouldn't be long before the Heartless came to clear out the unwanted.

"I've already evacuated the civilians."

"To where?"

Tsuko looked uncomfortable but he admitted it anyway. "One of the worlds Sora sealed."

"Which one?"

"Agrabah."

Tifa shook her head. "Unbelievable. And I thought you didn't trust him."

Tsuko smirked. "Plans change. I knew Metsu was up to something and when he announced his weapon I came up with my final plan."

"I don't care! We need to leave. How can you stand there and let a boy die? Sora's barely more than a child!"

"I need him to seal the other worlds."

"And that's what he'll do!"

"Worlds that will be under my jurisdiction."

"Whatever you say!" Tifa figured they had nothing to lose.

Tsuko stepped forward, the gun aimed at Tifa's head. "He comes with me. You give me the ship your friends have commandeered and you find yourselves another. I don't care what happens to you and your merry band of troublemakers. Stay here and die or escape. Either way I don't care." He rested the barrel of the gun on Tifa's head. "Give the boy to me."

Somehow he had forgotten about Zidane. "You aren't taking him anywhere!" He was at Tsuko's side in an instant, lashing out with his left dagger. "You aren't going to get us all killed!"

Zidane shoved Tifa out the way. She fell backwards, landing ungracefully. If she had blinked any slower she would've missed it. One minute Zidane stood in his normal trousers and vest, the next he was glimmering with red light, covered in strange markings and odd scraps of cloth that retained his dignity. Tifa knew it was his Trance but something was different. Something was very wrong. She backed up to Sora's side; relieved to see his wound had not started gushing again. She couldn't tear her eyes off Zidane who was stalking slow circles around Tsuko, his usually friendly face curled in a nasty grin. Forcing herself to look away, Tifa cast another Cure3. To her intense relief Sora stirred.

"Sora?"

His eyes opened but he didn't see Hollow Bastion. "Not…"

She leaned closer, holding her hair back. "What?"

Unseeing eyes widened. "Zidane?"

Tifa looked over and watched in horror as Zidane threw Tsuko across the hall before racing after him and pinning him against a wall.

"You are not in a position to make demands," Zidane hissed, the light around him crackling. "In fact, all you're really in a position for is to let me kill you."

"Zidane no!" Zidane gave Tifa a sidelong look but didn't reply. She looked down at Sora but he had his eyes closed once again. She carefully carried the boy to the fountain and tucked him between the pool and the wall, wrapping Zidane's blood soaked hoodie around Sora's waist and folding his hands in his lap. Sure that he would be alright, Tifa turned back to Zidane, finding him banging Tsuko's arm against the wall until he dropped the gun. "Zidane what are you doing?"

"What we all should've done a long time ago." Zidane held Tsuko by the arm and threw him across the room once again. "This fool will pay for everything."

Tifa edged towards him. "What are you talking about? This isn't like you!"

"He threatens us and you want to let him go?" Zidane sneered as Tsuko tried to escape. "You're too soft Tifa." He threw a dagger, pinning the man to ground as the blade sliced through his hand. "No, I won't allow it. We don't need him making our lives more complicated. He dies and things stay simple."

As Tsuko writhed in agony on the ground Tifa made up her mind and ran at Zidane, swinging her leg around in a roundhouse that caught his face. He fell back as Tifa held her fists up ready to defend herself from any attack. "What are you doing?" she asked. "What's wrong with you? Zidane you have to stop! If you kill Tsuko you're no better than him! Do you really want the blood of someone else's life on your hands?"

"Blood on my hands? A little more won't hurt." Zidane looked at her, the rage building. "Anyone who stands in my way will die!" He held out his daggers, preparing an almighty attack. "I won't let you stop me."

"Stop you? Stop you from doing what?" Tifa asked.

For a moment Zidane faltered but the hesitation was brief and the look of haughty confidence was back on his face the next instant. "I will deal with the Heartless any way necessary and if anyone opposes me I'll kill them. Starting with him." Zidane took two steps forward, shoving Tifa out of his path. "Grand Lethal!"

The attack exploded around Tsuko, his previous agony suddenly laughable. Tifa thought fast and threw a barrier around the fallen man who was still pinned to the ground. She launched herself at Zidane again, battering him again and again in a desperate attempt to incapacitate him.

"Fool!" Zidane's hand, wreathed in red fire, shot out and grabbed her by the neck, pulling her off the floor. "Why do you insist on trying to save him? He's the enemy! Oh…" He pulled her round, looking at her with almost insane rage. "Of course. You were on that Council. I suppose that makes all of you traitors."

"Zidane stop. This is crazy!"

His hand tightened, cutting of her air supply. "Enough! Why didn't I see it before? Your entire Council was in on all of this! All this time all you wanted was to make sure you could control the worlds no matter what it took." He lifted her higher. "I'll make sure your soul winds up in a very, very bad place."

"Stop!"

Zidane froze, giving Tifa the chance to free herself. She broke his arm, his hand opening enough to let her slip free. Coughing air into her lungs she looked over and saw Sora. He was on his feet (albeit leaning against the wall), breathing heavily with his right hand held out. His left was clutched around the wound. She ran to his side, still trying to catch her breath as her bruised throat became slightly swollen. "Are you alright?"

"Something's…wrong. Zidane's in trouble," Sora said, each word an effort. His teeth were gritted and his head bowed down. Fresh blood was running over his hand. "I can't…explain now."

"So you've already brainwashed him while I wasn't looking. Clever woman." The spell had already worn off and Zidane was behind Tifa, grabbing her by the hair. She cried out as he pulled her away by the hair, dumping her next to Tsuko. "I'm doing this to help you Sora."

Sora's hand hit the wall to help keep himself standing. "No."

"No?"

Sora lifted his head, the words rushing out as fast as he could manage. "You can't kill your friend!"

Something snapped. Zidane's rage finally began to subside.

From above the waterfall footsteps pounded on the floor. Barret and Galuf burst in. They both saw the sight of Zidane standing over Tsuko (who had passed out at some point) and Tifa. Neither understood what was going on.

And then the Heartless began to rise out of the floor and pull themselves free of the walls. Barret and Galuf started attacking at once but it didn't take long for them to realise they weren't going to be able hold them back for long. "We gotta go!" Barret yelled. "Tsuko's taken care of, let's grab him and leave! The Heartless are gonna overrun us any moment!"

"Zidane?" Tifa stood up.

"Tifa…I…" Back to normal, his eyes were wide with numbed disbelief. "I…sorry I…"

He turned and fled. Tifa almost ran after him when she suddenly remembered Sora. She turned and hurried back, barely reaching him in time to stop him from crashing to his knees. "Hang on, we're…"

The front door smashed open before it even closed on Zidane and the nose of a ship appeared through the dust, ice and rubble. Galuf and Barret ran down the stairs, Heartless racing after them. Tifa grabbed Sora, half supporting and half carrying him, leaving Barret to throw Tsuko over his shoulder. They ran to the ship, its ramp lowered. Yuna stood at the top to wave them aboard. "Hurry!" she called.

"What about Zidane?" Tifa asked once onboard, the hatch closing behind her. She helped Sora sit on the floor, noticing he was fading out again. "We can't leave him here!"

"There are other ships in the docks," Galuf said. "He'll get out." The ship was already leaving Hollow Bastion. "He's not stupid."

"Something's not right." Sora's gaze was distant.

"What do you mean?" Galuf asked.

One Sora's bloodstained hands reached up to rest over his heart. "It's changed him." And that was it, he was gone again.

"We don't have a choice," Cloud said in his deeply calm voice. "These Heartless are everywhere. We should leave before they start attacking us properly."

"He's right," Yuffie said. "We should go back to Traverse Town, take everything with us and figure it all out there."

The group was holed up in the library, hot drinks clutched in their hands. Hollow Bastion's temperature had plummeted and outside it had begun to snow. Kairi watched the snow in fascination. She knew Destiny Islands had never seen such weather but somehow it seemed so familiar.

"Cid, is the ship ready?" Leon asked.

"Yup."

"Goofy and I will take ours," Donald said. "We'll meet you at the house?"

"Good idea," Aerith said. "We'll pack up all the documents and share them between the two ships in case…" She faltered, not wanting to go on.

"I'll go with Donald and Goofy," Kairi said, changing the subject quickly. "If there's any trouble at Traverse Town we should go in larger groups than pairs."

"Good idea," Yuffie said. "I guess I'll go with you guys too. After all, you'll need my help."

"Mighty nice of you to offer Yuffie!" Goofy said cheerfully.

Aerith put her mug on the table and started tying books and loose papers into neat bundles. With help from Kairi, Yuffie, Donald and Goofy they had it done within a few minutes. Packing them into crates, Leon cast Float and they all hovered off the ground. Everyone picked one to push and they stepped out the library.

The Heartless were drifting aimlessly everywhere. Cloud was the first to attack, swinging his sword in a massive arc and slicing through the mist-like creatures. His weapon took out five in one swoop and he didn't stop, hacking more out of the way until the path was completely clear. And even in the face of such an onslaught the Heartless didn't attack. It didn't make any sense to anyone but they didn't stop to ponder the issue.

They broke out onto the balcony, running through the snow as fast they could. The ships were all moored down by the Rising Falls and Kairi gasped when she realised the water was freezing over. "What's happening to this world?" she asked as they all ran for the lift. "This never happened before did it?"

"No," Leon called back. "It can't be good."

The lift worked and soon they were flying down to the falls. Snow tried to blind them but Firaga spells from Donald melted it away. They huddled close together against the biting chill of the wind, the journey seeming to take forever now that they were all desperate to leave. When it finally did deliver them to the Rising Falls they wasted no time running for their ships.

"We'll see you at Traverse Town!" Donald called to Leon and his team.

"Right. We'll fly by some other worlds and see if the same thing is happening," Leon replied before disappearing aboard his ship.

Pushing the books into the ship, Kairi and Yuffie stored them in the small makeshift bedroom cabin at the back before taking seats in the main cockpit. Kairi stopped, seeing a pile of familiar clothes by the bed. She leaned down and picked it up. She swallowed hard. Sora's clothes were all Kairi had left of him. The loneliness stabbed into her heart. Sometimes the distance between them felt so great it was as though they lived lifetimes apart. Why couldn't she be with him every day, just like they used be, playing silly games on the beach? Her hands tightened around his hooded jacket. Why couldn't she wake up and find herself back at home ready to face the bright day with Sora and Riku? Why had they ever wished to leave? And why did there have to be so insurmountable a distance between them all? She brushed the tears away angrily. It hurt, it hurt more than she could ever explain, but she had to do something to help. She owed it to Sora and Riku to be strong.

Because it was all her fault. She was the reason…

"Hey Kairi you'd better strap in." Yuffie called. "We're about to take off."

"Coming." Kairi was glad for the interruption. She dropped the clothes and hurried out, taking her seat just as the ship blasted out of Hollow Bastion's orbit. Thanks to the Warp gummi they were in orbit around Traverse Town within a matter of minutes.

"Heh, I'll never get used that," Yuffie said with a grin. "But man do I love it. I used to get so travel sick on regular ships."

The four of them gathered the books and stepped on the small platform that would transport them to one of the numerous warp points dotted around Traverse Town.

"Let's go to the First District," Kairi said. "We can get some supplies before heading to the house."

But it wasn't to be. The First District was utterly abandoned. Lights shone warmly as they always did but nobody stirred.

"It's kinda chilly," Goofy noted. "D'ya think…"

A Heartless drifted across the abandoned square. Shaped like an emaciated young man, its empty eyes glanced at the small group before passing by. Kairi's heart squeezed with fear. The Heartless had beaten them to the town where night never ended. She took a step to the door that led to the Third District, motioning for the others to follow. Heartless were starting to appear out of thin air, dressed in rags and all far too skinny.

"What the hell is going on?" Yuffie whispered as the edged closer to the door. "Why are they here?"

"Let's get to the house," Donald interrupted before anyone could answer her. "We can worry about everything else there."

Yuffie and Kairi opened the doors and looked through. More Heartless drifting. One, a little girl, hit Kairi before passing through her. Kairi almost screamed, the sound getting lost somewhere between her lungs and her mouth. She felt as though someone had doused her in an arctic sea. Her body froze, refusing to move.

"Kairi? Kairi!"

"I…" she felt breathless, the chill shocking the air from her chest. She felt warm hands push her stiff body on but that warmth refused to push past the chill that ate into her. "…c-cold."

Before she fully realised it Kairi was in the house. Yuffie threw a switch and on came the light. Donald took the books from Kairi's arms while Goofy hurried to grab the blanket from the bed and throw it around her shoulders.

Trembling wildly, her numb hands pulled the inadequate sheet tightly around her as she sat on the bed. "Wh-what was th-th-that?"

"It didn't look like a Heartless…" Goofy said. "But what else could it've been?"

Donald waved his wand and another thicker blanket popped out of nowhere and draped itself around Kairi. "A ghost?"

"Don't be silly there's no such thing!" Yuffie said firmly, hands on hips. "It must be some weird kind of Heartless that's new in town."

"Wh-why d-d-didn't it t-take m-my heart?"

That was a big enough question to keep them silently occupied for quite a while.

 _This was new._

 _Mostly._

 _He sat in a bath full of freezing water. It was perched in the ruined castle, teetering dangerously on a cliff over the lake. He lifted his head, looking around. Was he alone?_

 _No. I'm here._

 _What did you do?_

 _You know, don't you?_

 _Why?_

 _Oh come on. It's not that hard to figure out._

 _He lifted his hands and rested them on the marble bath. Slowly he began to ease himself up._

 _Do they know who you are?_

 _Not as well as you do._

 _Water gushed from his clothes as he stood up. The cliff, the trees, the chill…he knew it all._

 _Why do I always dream of this place?_

 _I wouldn't know. I don't choose it._

 _He stepped out of the bath and looked over the cliff, seeing the lake far below._

 _I know where this is._

 _Yes, so do I._

 _It's a very sad place now._

 _There are others you know, others far worse than this._

 _How can there be anything beyond light and dark?_

 _You think this is dark?_

 _Isn't it?_

 _This is merely a shade of grey._

 _A shade of…_

 _Surely you've noticed it?_

… _grey?_

 _Yes._

 _Zidane._

 _Not just him._

 _Where is he?_

 _Can't you remember?_

 _No…it's fuzzy. Why was he attacking Tifa?_

 _I'm not telling you. It doesn't work that way._

 _I have to talk to him._

 _Well, not right now. He's not here._

 _I want to wake up._

 _Can't._

 _What?_

 _Did you forget?_

 _I remember pain…_

… _And I know how it happened. Would you like to know?_

 _An invisible hand landed on his shoulder. It was a cold and painful grip but one he couldn't push off._

 _I don't want you to show me._

 _Too bad._

 _Zidane stabbed you…_

 _No he didn't, he stabbed you. You were controlling me and he knew it. He did what he had to do._

 _But the pain was still his. If he rested a hand on his side he could feel it there, quiet right now but aware it was threatening to tear right through him the instant he left this place once again._

 _What about Tifa? Did he have to hurt her?_

… _He didn't mean it._

 _The grip tightened._

 _Yes he did. Don't be stupid._

 _No, he wouldn't do that on purpose. He's my friend, I know him!_

 _You know nothing about him. Don't you realise? You know nothing about any of them!_

 _Fragments of glass danced from the ruins around them, forming a gleaming bridge that hung over the cliff's edge. The grip forced him forward, too powerful to stop._

 _The people you call friends what do you really know about them? You meet them and decide you need a friend out of them. Isn't that it?_

 _He came to the edge. A wind began tugging at him, giddy with the game of trying to pull him over._

 _No…no that isn't it at all._

 _Yes it is. You don't know your friends at all. You don't know what truly lies in their heart, what drives their desire to live. You're completely oblivious, as always._

"So."

"So."

"Yeah."

"Well."

"Hm."

Yuna looked from Red, to Tifa, to Barret, to Galuf and finally to Terra. "I don't get it."

"We need to figure out where to go," Tifa said. "Don't worry Yuna, we'll sort something out."

The little girl watched the stars slip by outside the ship. It was boring without Zidane to play Tetra Master with and Red hadsaid Sora wouldn't be awake for ages. She didn't understand why Zidane was gone and every time she asked someone there was an uncomfortable silence before she got a pat on the shoulder and a weird-looking smile. It didn't make Yuna feel any better at all. In fact she felt worse. They were hiding something from her.

Zidane had gone away and no one would tell her why.

Sora would tell her. Maybe he'd be awake too. She hopped off the console and decided to head down to the kitchen where he was. This new ship didn't have a medical lab like the Highwind so they'd had to make do and use the kitchen to stitch Sora up. Of course it meant they had nowhere to cook for the time being but at least this way Sora wouldn't die.

Leaving the adults to decide everything, Yuna left the small bridge and headed down the hall to the kitchen, Valefor swinging by her side as she skipped along. The translucent glass door to the kitchen slid open automatically and she went in, humming a random but cheerful tune quietly to herself. As Red had promised Sora was asleep, lying on his good side and looking very serene. They had turned one of the kitchen's worktops into a makeshift bed and if Yuna looked carefully there were still smudges of blood on the floor and dribbled over the draws. It wasn't very nice but Yuna could deal with blood. Other bodily fluids – like vomit – were gross but for some reason blood had never bothered her. She edged closer to Sora, stood on her tiptoes and poked his arm. Nothing. Yuna pouted. Great, that meant she'd have to be bored for a really long time. She pulled herself up onto the other work surface and dug her cards out of a pocket. Playing Tetra Master by herself was boring but it was something to do…for about an hour. It didn't take long before she couldn't play the game any more and she packed up. Her frown was almighty. There had to be something to do! She hopped off the table and began searching through the cupboards. She soon discovered there was a lot of food laying around and that had to be a good thing seeing as they probably weren't going to be stopping anywhere else any time soon…unless they stopped by Atlantica to hand nasty Tsuko over. Yuna paused when she remembered their prisoner. He was locked in one of the cabins on the lower level. She didn't like Tsuko very much and she really hoped they'd be able to leave him on another world. He wasn't a nice man. Everyone had told her to stay away from him and she intended to do just that. He was a bad person – she didn't know what he had done but she instinctively knew he was nasty.

Sora sighed suddenly. "I do know them."

Yuna looked at him hopefully but he was still asleep. Oh but she was so bored!

"Fine, be that way! I'm going to…going to…" She plopped down on the floor. "I'm gonna be bored!" she wailed.

"You're always so…"

Yuna stood up, looking at Sora in confusion. Who was he talking to? His eyes were closed but he looked upset. Yuna tiptoed closer. For some reason she couldn't make herself speak. She wasn't afraid but she couldn't find any words to say.

Sora frowned deeply. He stirred uneasily and Yuna dashed to try and hold him still. She had helped with the stitches and knew that it wouldn't take much to yank them all out. But she was small and he was taller and far stronger. She was going to have a problem holding him down. Yuna gripped his hand tightly, putting her hand on his shoulder just in case he tried to move again.

"Don't."

"Oh I really wish you'd wake up Sora!"

"Don't!"

Yuna bit her lip, wondering what she should do. In her mind she gauged the distance to the bridge where the others were. She didn't have a choice – she needed to get some help. Sora was having a nightmare and she couldn't stop him from twisting and turning. Releasing his hand Yuna shot out of the kitchen and back to the bridge. She made it in less than twenty seconds.

The adults looked at her. Terra seemed to notice that something was wrong first. "What is it?"

"Sora's having a nightmare."

Red and Terra went back with Yuna. The sight they saw was very unexpected. Sora sat up straight, one arm clutched around his side while his other hand was held to his head.

"Sora?"

His head flew up, his expression wild with heart-stopping shock. It took him a moment to realise that he was looking at his friends. Then his eyes turned to his surroundings, seeing a kitchen all around him. "Where are we?" he managed to ask, sounding a little breathless.

"On a ship heading away from Hollow Bastion," Terra explained as she walked over to him. "Move your arm." He did so and she lifted his white vest and checked the thick bandage. It was spotless. "Good, you haven't pulled the stitches out."

"Are you okay?" Yuna asked. "You were having a nightmare. It didn't sound very nice."

"Um…" Sora blinked heavily as if to shake off a daze. "I'm sorry," he said slowly. "It's hard to think."

Terra gently pushed him back down. "Just relax. You lost a lot of blood so you're probably feeling a little washed out."

Sora smiled vaguely. "More like totally."

"You should get some more rest," Red said. "It'll be a while before you're feeling better."

"No…wait…Zidane. Where is he? I can't remember what happened. Is he here?"

Red shook his head. "No Sora, he didn't leave with us. He left on his own."

"Why?" Yuna picked up the inquisition. "Why didn't he come with us?"

"Shades of grey."

Everyone looked at Sora. "What?" Red asked.

"It's hard to explain. Everything's so messed up in my head right now. I need to think."

"You need to sleep," Terra said. "Maybe I should give you a sedative."

"No, I don't want to sleep." Sora knew he sounded like a disagreeable toddler but he stuck to his guns. "Please I want to get up." He smiled again but it was a little shaky. "I mean, I don't think I can get up but I want to."

"Ladies, would you step outside for a moment?"

Terra took Yuna's hand. "Of course Red. Let us know if you need anything."

The two left as Red hopped up on a stool to be on a more equal level with Sora. "You're afraid," he said simply.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I keep having dreams."

"No, it's not just that."

Sora looked at Red uneasily as if he'd been caught stealing. "No, it isn't."

"The person who…controlled you called himself the Seeker of Darkness." Red knew he'd hit an old wound. "He said he'd been talking to you for a long time. Who is he?"

"His real name is Ansem." Sora clutched his hands tightly. His blue eyes refused to look at anything other than the ceiling. "He's the reason for everything. He controlled the Heartless, all of them. Red, I thought he was gone. I thought he wasn't going to come back." Another thought dawned on him and it drained what little colour he had in his cheeks. "And he's in my head."

Red placed a paw on Sora's arm. "He won't be able to take over again. It was only because of the drugs Metsu and Yuki used that allowed him to overpower your mind. It's okay for you to sleep."

"I can't. Not yet. I had a dream. He was there. And I have to find Zidane. I don't understand why he tried to hurt Tifa but we can't leave him out there alone. Ansem might find him and…" Memories of Riku flushed through Sora's mind. He swallowed hard but the memories didn't fade, the sharp pain of his friend's troubles as poignant as ever. He tried to roll away so Red couldn't see the fear or the looming tears but his side fairly screamed in agony and he stayed on his back. "We have to stop Ansem."

"You're right, we do. But we can't do that if you don't get any better."

But when Sora decided he didn't want to do something he had the stubborn will to see the decision though. "Where are we going? Are we looking for Zidane?"

Red shook his head but reluctantly filled the boy in. "We're going to dump Tsuko on Atlantica and then Tifa wants to go home."

"Home? But…" Sora frowned. "Did something happen to Hollow Bastion?"

"Seek…sorry, Ansem did something to the Keyhole and the world froze over."

Sora's expression became guilt-ridden. Focusing all his energy on staying awake he couldn't spare the time to hide his feelings. "I'm sorry Red I should've…"

"Don't worry, we'll come up with something. Anyway, Tifa has decided we're going home. Home as in the world she, myself and Barret are from. There's some materia there she thinks will come in handy. Your recent brush with death has made her very cautious."

Sora heaved himself up, looking as though he'd leap to his feet and march to the bridge. Thankfully he stayed put. "What about Zidane? I won't leave him out there on his own!"

"What did Ansem do? Did he…"

"He…possessed one of my friends."

"And?"

Sora pressed his lips into a very thin line. He was silent for almost a minute. "And I had to leave him behind, locked behind a door to a world I don't know how to get back to."

"You're afraid the same thing will happen to Zidane?"

"Yeah." Sora bowed his head, sniffling back some wayward tears. "There's got to be a way I can find him."

 _You mean, find 'them'._

The stifled sob hiccupped out of him, bringing pain to his side. Miserable and uncomfortable Sora pulled one knee to his chest, rested his arms upon it and buried his tired face there. Red deftly hopped up onto the large work surface, sitting on his back legs as he faced the younger boy.

"You know…" Red began, nudging Sora with his nose and not continuing until he looked at him. "I happen to be very fond of this human habit called 'hugging'. I'm not particularly adept at it given the shape of my species but I do enjoy being hugged or scratched behind the ears."

Sora's face switched from one of morose hopelessness to a tired but bright and amused smile. Easing himself forward with great care he wrapped his arms around Red who in turn rested his furry chin lightly on Sora's shoulder.

"There's light and there's dark and in-between there's just greyness. Zidane's falling into that grey place and sometimes I think I am too."

"Well then we'll just have to stop both of you, won't we?"

Sora felt some of his nervous energy draining out of his body. "Yes, that's what we'll do."

"And we'll stop this Ansem."

"Yeah. Again." Sora almost managed a laugh.

Red pulled back and Sora raised a hand to scratch behind his four-legged friend's ears as requested. "Will you get some rest now?"

Sora's hand stilled. "No Red I…"

"Ah, ah, ah," Red admonished. "Keep scratching, I think you caught some fleas."

"Ugh."

"Quite. Now, how about Terra gives you a very mild sedative so you can sleep without any dreams? You'll feel a great deal better for it and you'll be lucky enough to miss the very long and boring trip to Atlantica."

"No warp drive?"

"None whatsoever. It's most tiresome but I'm sure we can pick up a few things on Atlantica to sort out that problem."

"Can't I have a proper bed?"

"No, it's easier for you to stay here in case we need to redo any of the stitches. The rooms simply aren't big enough. Besides I imagine Yuna would like to keep you company."

"Aren't I going to be asleep?"

"Ah, so you agree!"

"Yes." Sora's arm fell back to his side, setting off a dull ring when it thudded against the metallic worktop. "I'm very tired."

"Well the only thing keeping you up is nerves and numerous Cure3 and Regen spells."

"Comforting," Sora replied as he settled himself back down.

"Indeed. Now, I'm going to get Terra. When we next speak you can tell us more about this Ansem character. I'm sure together we'll think of something. And don't worry about Zidane, we'll find him and bring him back. He's always getting himself into trouble but he's rather talented at escaping from it as well. Don't fret."

Red hopped down and called to Terra who returned with a smile, Yuna following close behind. While Terra and Red discussed suitable medication, Yuna clambered back up and sat Valefor on Sora's chest. "You can keep him for a while," she said, lifting his arm so that the soft toy was safely tucked beneath it. "I don't think you'll have any nightmares with Valefor standing guard."

"Thanks Yuna."

Terra came over, a needle in her hand. Yuna distracted Sora so he didn't notice. "You know it's a shame I can't let you see all my other Summon Plushies."

"Summon Plushies?"

"Sure, I had the whole set! When Daddy got Valefor for me I decided I wanted them all. My favourite, after Valefor of course, was Shiva – she was really cool."

"No pun intended," Red added wryly.

"Huh?" Yuna and Sora both asked.

"Never mind."

"Well anyway I had all of them and they were the best. But I don't mind that they're gone. I'm getting too old for toys and…"

"I don't think you're too old for toys. I think there are still toys in my room back home."

"Really? But you're…um…how old?"

"Fifteen."

"Right! Aren't you meant to be grown up?"

A shadow slipped into Sora's eyes but he was already nodding off and it passed by unnoticed. "Not really. Maybe when I'm eighteen I'll think about being a grown up. 'Sides," he yawned and let his eyes fall shut. "I'm not tall enough to be grown up."


	36. Chapter 36

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Thirty-Six

"Hey." Poke. Nothing. "I know you're in there." Poke again, sharper this time. "Don't think you can hide forever." Glare into the eyes. "Just one peep that's all I ask. Maybe a…um…a wink or…er…flap…" Try a smile. "Please? You did something before, I know you're not just…"

"Sora? Is that you?" Yuna came running in. "Good morning!" She greeted cheerfully. She looked around, obviously expecting to find another person. "Who were you talking to?"

"Oh, just myself." He carefully dropped Valefor onto his lap. He smiled at the girl. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. Are you feeling better now?"

Sora freed himself from numerous blankets and carefully swung his feet over the edge of the worktop. "Yeah, much better thanks." He stretched the arm and leg on his good side, his bare feet poking out in the air. "Hey, why are my feet bandaged?"

"Don't you remember? You cut them on the glass in Halloween Town."

"Oh, yeah." He put his feet on the ground and gingerly stood up. There was no pain, just some mild discomfort. "I suppose I forgot after everything else." He rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "So, where are we?"

"In space. Tifa thinks we'll be at her world soon."

Sora looked a little confused. "But I thought we were going to Atlantica."

Yuna walked alongside him as he began to walk out of the kitchen, his pace necessarily slow. "We were there a few days ago. You slept through it."

"Wow, I guess I am a lazy bum." He blushed a little. "Sorry, I must've gotten in your way when you wanted to eat."

Yuna giggled. "We just worked around you. No matter how loud we were you didn't even stir. Red said something about your body needing the rest."

The lingering ache in his side convinced Sora his four-legged friend was right. "Oh, wait, I haven't given Valefor back."

"It's okay, we can pick him up later. Let's go find out if we're nearly there." Yuna took hold of Sora's hand, guiding him to the bridge. "I've never been stuck onboard a ship for so long. We picked up loads of games and things on Atlantica but it still got boring."

Sora smiled. "Guess I was kinda lucky to sleep through most of it. Do you think I broke any records for longest time spent asleep? Kairi would be so mad at me if she knew I slept for so long."

"Who's Kairi?"

Sora stopped. For a moment all he could think of was how far away she was and how lonely it made him feel to know he couldn't open a door on this ship and find her smiling in the room behind it. But he gathered himself and answered Yuna. "Kairi's…someone very special to me. She's back home, on the world I come from."

"What's she like?" Yuna's childish curiosity was blind to Sora's anguish. "Is she nice?"

"You'd get on with her really well. She's friendly and caring but…" He laughed, the sound a little forced but not as bad as his lonely heart felt. "But she's always telling me I'm a lazy bum because I used to doze off on the beach sometimes."

"If I meet her I'll be sure to tell her about how you slept for days and days!"

"Thanks. She'll never let me get away with it."

"Good! Because even though I had loads of fun games to play and books to read I was still bored without you."

"I'll make up for it. How about we play Tetra Master later?"

"Nah, I'll only beat you."

Sora mocked a glum look. "Thanks."

They stepped onto the bridge and Sora saw Tifa standing with Barret at the helm while Red was pouring intently over some old maps with Galuf making notes every so often. Terra was nowhere in sight – and neither, of course, was Zidane.

"Um, hi everyone."

Four pairs of eyes looked up from various tasks. "Well if it ain't sleepin' beauty," Barret said with a wicked grin. "Good to see yeh awake Sora."

"Feeling better Sora?" Red asked.

He nodded. "A lot better."

"Good," Tifa said, her smile bright with relief.

Sora noticed the bruises still faintly visible around her neck where Zidane had gripped her throat. Unease twisted in his stomach. Was Zidane really lost in that grey place between light and dark? What happened if he fell all the way?

Tifa walked over to him, poking him in the chest once she was within reach. His thoughts tumbled away. "I don't want you giving me any more shocks young man. We'll all go grey if you do."

Sora smirked. "Won't Galuf just go bald?"

Galuf flicked the boy's ears. "Cheeky brat. He's definitely better."

"Are we nearly there yet?" Yuna burst out.

"Another few days to go, sorry Yuna," Tifa said apologetically.

The little girl sighed. "Maybe I should've stayed with Terra on Atlantica."

"Terra stayed behind?" Sora asked, settling himself on the table Red had been working at.

"Yeah, she wanted to help coordinate the relief effort," Tifa explained. "There are a lot of people to sort out now that Hollow Bastion's gone."

"I don't know what to do about that," Sora replied. "It's a frozen world now. I wonder if I can reverse that."

"You won't be trying any time soon." Galuf told him. "The strength of the Heartless there is unbelievable. Barret and I barely managed to hold them off while we escaped."

"And what about Zidane?" Sora asked. "Where is he?"

"We don't have a clue," Tifa said apologetically. "There's been no trace at all. We don't even know if he got off Hollow Bastion."

"He did." Sora was resolute. "He wouldn't just give up and allow himself to die. I know it."

"We'll have a proper look once we got this materia Tifa's after," Barret said. "There's only so many places he coulda run to."

Sora was silent as he mulled things over. He could feel the concern of his friends and their focus on the upcoming task. If only there was some way he could pick up on Zidane's thoughts or feelings. Sora shared connections with many people and the closer the friendship the stronger the bond. He'd never really thought of it beyond knowing such connections existed within himself and the hearts of his friends.

"Whatcha thinking about Sora?" Yuna enquired.

Sora gave Yuna an overview of his thoughts. "I guess I was just wishing I could use the connection I share with Zidane to find him," he concluded with a wistful smile. "That'd make life easier."

Red overheard. "You might be on to something there."

Sora perked up. "Really?"

Nodding, Red paced around a little as he pondered aloud. "You say the heart makes connections."

"Yeah."

"Connections that let you know how your friend is feeling."

"Sort of...but that's kinda easy. Telling how people feel isn't really hard. It's just…I mean, with these connections no-one's ever truly alone."

"Hm." Red's pacing got faster as he got more excited about the idea blooming in his mind. "The question is how to access the heart…"

Sora's furry friend walked round the table several times. Yuna watched until she got dizzy. Giggling she commented, "Red's funny when he's thinking."

"He's making me feel queasy," Sora muttered.

"Hmmm…"

"Round and round he goes!" Yuna sang.

Red stopped. "Sora, follow me. I think I might have a good idea."

Yuna sighed. "Guess we won't get to play any games yet."

"Don't worry," Sora said as he followed Red off the bridge. "I'm sure I'll escape soon!"

Red led Sora to his bedroom where aside from the futon on the floor there was only a desk. Sora sat upon Red's small table after shifting some books out the way. "So, what's the big idea Red?"

Red gave his equivalent of a grin. "Meditation."

Sora looked highly doubtful. "Meditation?"

Red nodded. "I can't think of a better way for you to access the connections your heart has made. Meditation allows you to reach a different state of consciousness so I imagine it's…"

"Meditation?" the boy interrupted. "As in sitting still and doing lots of slow, deep breathing?"

"Precisely."

Sora chuckled, shaking his head. "Red maybe you haven't noticed but the only time I'm still is when I'm unconscious." He noticed he was swinging his legs over the side of the table and stopped, grinning. "See?"

"This may be the best way we can find Zidane. Besides, we've got a few days to kill and you still need a little rest. You won't be able to fight with your side like that. This time will be perfect to spend on learning some simple meditation techniques."

And so Sora began to learn. The first few times were hopeless. Childhood memories of sitting on the beach with Riku and Kairi chanting "Om" reduced him to so much laughter he thought on numerous occasions that his side had quite literally split. Eventually he got past that phase and with the help of Red managed to find a pleasant level of relaxation. Two days later and Sora discovered exactly how to examine his heart. At first his own emotions had drowned out everything else, plunging him into a maelstrom of his own creation. But below it all was a strange sort of glow, like the flicker of flames in a hearth on a winter's night. He focused on it and suddenly a world coalesced around him. He stood in a circular room, surrounded by numerous identical doors. He stepped forward and in that instant all the doors slammed open. Like an almighty wind images, smells, feelings, sounds stormed over him. He saw so many places.

"What…

Places he knew.

…am…

Places he missed.

…I…

Places he never wished to see again.

…doing?"

And places he'd never known before.

Then it was over.

"Sora?"

Blinking hard several times Sora came to realise he was still seated in Red's room. He looked at his friend as he tried to catch his breath. "That…that was…" He uncrossed his legs and fell onto his back. "Whoa."

"It worked then?"

"Oh yeah. I saw so many places." He grinned and laughed in amazement. "So many worlds!"

"And what of Zidane?"

"I'm not sure. I think I heard him…maybe." Sora offered a nervous smile. "I kinda have a bad habit of hearing voices though."

Red shook his head in amused exasperation. "Anything else?"

"I saw a lot of places I don't know – places I know I've never been to."

"Well maybe I know some of them. Maybe together we can come up with some locations."

Sora sat back up. "Okay. There was one I'm pretty sure was an island. There were lots of waterfalls and a village. Um…oh yeah, there was a massive temple in the village."

"Hmm… I wonder if that's Yuna's world."

"Really? Why would I see that when she's here?"

"Well, if someone's passionate about their home it would've left an imprint on their heart. Plus you were focusing on seeing other worlds and maybe that's how you…"

Sora waved his hands. "Whoa whoa that's enough thinking. Next world."

"Of course. Carry on."

"I also saw this huge castle…somehow I knew it was really windy."

"Sorry don't know it."

Sora's brow wrinkled with concentration. "Green. There was a flash of a place that was just really green and kinda sparkly."

Red's ears twitched. "That sounds like my world."

"Your world is green and sparkly?"

"Part of it is."

"Part of it?"

"It's complicated."

Sora shrugged and moved on. "Oh and there was one with this huge building that was moving across the sea. Seriously, it looked like…I dunno…like the castle at Hollow Bastion surfing over the sea. Not that the building looked like Hollow Bastion but that's the best comparison I can come up with and oh maybe…"

"Stop. I don't know it. Any others?"

"Yeah one more. There was another castle and it looked as though a huge sword was sticking out of it."

"That's it! That's a place on Zidane's world. He told me the name…oh what was it? Er…"

"But that doesn't really mean anything. I saw other worlds I know nothing about. I saw your world but we aren't there yet. All in all that's a lot of places for Zidane to be."

"It doesn't matter, it's a place to start. Zidane's world isn't too far away from our destination. Good work Sora."

He smiled proudly. "You're welcome."

There came a knock on the door and before anyone could call "Come in!" Yuna burst through.

"We've arrived!" she cried excitedly. "We're finally there!"

The three returned to the bridge just as a new world loomed into view. Tifa turned to Red. "Welcome home," she said, trying to sound cheerful but looking like she would burst into tears.

Red's eyes surveyed the world, his expression one of deep unhappiness. "It's more desolate than before."

"Ain't it?" Barret murmured.

Galuf chose to change the subject. "Tifa didn't you have something you wanted to tell Sora?"

"Hm? Oh yeah of course." She pulled her eyes away from her home and turned to Sora. "Do you remember on the charts Red showed you in the library the black ring around Destiny Islands and Disney Castle?"

"Yeah. We can't get through until the Heartless have been weakened."

"Actually we don't think that's true."

"Huh?"

"We got a call from Terra about two hours ago. She said a ship passing by Traverse Town accidentally went off-course and came to where the Heartless defences were supposed to be. They weren't there."

Sora's eyes widened. "You mean we can get to those worlds?"

"No. There's something else in the way."

"Something else?"

"A barrier…a shield. Something only magic can take down."

"Any idea what that magic might be?"

"Terra seems to think that if the Heartless are the spawn of darkness only a spell like Holy could disperse it. But Holy is a magic only special people can summon. It takes phenomenal energy to cast – more energy than any human being could muster."

"No it doesn't!" Yuna was almost jumping up and down in excitement. "I've seen people on my world use Holy."

"As have I," Galuf responded.

"Really?" Red's tone was full of fascination. "Is it still powerful?"

"Yup! One of the most powerful," Yuna answered.

"Amazing. Utterly amazing. Who would've thought such magic…"

"I have no idea what you're all talking about," Sora butted in.

"Holy is the most powerful white magic," Yuna told him. "It's really cool! Someday I'm gonna be able to use it."

"But on our world it took the whole energy of the planet to summon," Tifa said. "Surely it can't be the same magic."

"I don't see why not," Red replied. "Yuna said it was the most powerful white magic…that's the same for our world."

"Mine as well," Galuf said. "But where can any of us learn it?"

"Terra didn't say," Tifa said. "Look, let's worry about it later. For now let's pick up the materia I want from this world, find Zidane and then worry about the barrier. Sora, what can you tell us about Ansem?"

He started in shock. "When did you…?"

"Red told us."

"Oh. Well…Ansem was once the ruler of Hollow Bastion. Then he discovered the Heartless. That's when things went wrong." Sora quickly gave a detailed lesson on Ansem and what he had done after giving himself over to the Heartless. "I don't understand why he's here or what he's done to the worlds but I think I know where he is."

"Where?"

"Disney Castle. I…" Sora knew he was going to sound crazy but it was the truth. "I keep dreaming about it. I've never been there but two of my friends are from that world so they told me everything about it. I know that's where Ansem is hiding."

 _Oh, hardly hiding._

"Maybe that's where Donald and Goofy are too..." Sora said, mostly to himself.

"You think we can take 'im out?" Barret asked.

Sora's grin was lopsided. "If I did it once I can do it again."

 _Such confidence. Or is it arrogance?_

"Once our other problems are sorted we'll find a way to get to Disney Castle," Tifa said. "Until then everyone get ready for a lot of wet weather and a lot of fighting. Sora, you sure you're up to it?"

He nodded. "I'm feeling fine now thanks."

"Good. Okay then, we're landing. Barret, take us down."

"Heh, aye aye Cap'n Tifa."

The rain played a solemn tune as it tumbled from the sky and crawled down the ruins of Midgar. The industrial city still spanned miles but it was little more than a wasteland. What had once been a thriving if corrupt metropolis had become a ghostly junkyard with mounds of ruined buildings and infrastructure strewn as far as the eye could see. Life no longer remained in this place, its heart lost with its people. Above the wreckage on the ground should've been Midgar's upper level – the plate that had once caused so much pollution in the sectors below. But it was gone, torn away by Meteor, Barret said. Instead all that remained were the huge concrete stanchions, massive steel cords jutting out the manmade corpses. The Mako Reactors – six of the original eight – were in varying states of collapse but none would ever sap the Lifestream again and bring light to the dead city. Sora looked at the old abandoned city sadly. The rain made Midgar look as though it were crying.

"That's where we're going," Tifa said pointing towards Midgar's rotten core. "You see that tall building there? The one that sticks out over everything else in the centre? That's where we need to go."

The former ShinRa headquarters stuck out over everything else simply because it was the only thing left standing that still managed to resemble a building. The highest floors were inaccessible – several precariously hung over another sector of Midgar, connected to the rest of the building by sheer luck rather than clever construction. Tifa wasn't worried because she knew their destination was low down. She and Red stood together beside the ship, going over maps Tifa had hastily scribbled out. Barret had landed on the city's limits, the only place where there was enough empty land to put the ship down without causing any damage.

"We'll be moving out soon," Tifa said. "Yuna, you'll stay here with Galuf."

"Can't I stay outside for a little while?" the girl pleaded. "I've been inside so long!"

"You can stay out as long as you like but if the Heartless come you get inside right away, promise?"

Yuna's smile was bright and she nodded enthusiastically. "Promise!"

Sora pulled his hood down and tilted his head back, enjoying the feel of the cold water on his skin after so many days cooped up inside. Dressed in boots, baggy trousers with enormous pockets and a thick jacket he was nice and warm despite the miserable weather the poured relentlessly from the ironclad skies above.

He heard a giggle and a splash. Looking to his left he saw Yuna twirling in and out of puddles gleefully. He smiled as he watched her exuberant performance. She didn't seem worried or scared about any kind of danger. It made Sora happy to see her so carefree – just as she should be. When he'd been her age his most pressing concern had been making sure he avoided eating vegetables. A little girl, Sora decided, shouldn't have to worry about the Heartless. Someday he hoped he could free her and every other person – child and adult alike – from the worry of the Heartless. Maybe he was one of the few who could.

"It's great to be off the ship!" Yuna grinned when she noticed he was watching her. "I don't think I've ever been so bored in my whole life."

He laughed as he shook his thoughts off. "I know what you mean." Hands in his pockets, yes somehow he had managed to not lose Oblivion, Oathkeeper or the Ultima materia, Sora walked over to her. "I'll never complain about travelling after this – nothing could be worse."

"Totally!" Yuna spied a new puddle and threw herself into an almighty leap.

Sora realised what was about to happen too late and before he could save himself Yuna had drenched him.

"Hey! I'll get you for that!"

With a shriek Yuna bolted, giggling so madly she barely managed to run in a straight line.

"Play nice kids!" Barret hollered jokingly.

"Don't go too far into the city!" Tifa called with motherly concern.

Sora's longer legs ate up the ground between them. Yuna ducked behind a pile of scrap metal. Her giggles echoed all around the dead space, disorientating Sora. A spike of unease slithered through him as the seconds went by and Yuna didn't appear. Towering monstrosities of aging, twisted metal groped for the grim sky. Every now and then the wind went screeching through the ruined chunks of what had once been a massive city. This wasn't the place to play hide-and-seek.

"Hey Yuna, come on, we should get back to the others."

"Uh uh, I won't fall for that."

She sounded close by but her voice had become a game of throw and catch for the wind and ruins. Sora didn't know where she was. "Yuna I'm not joking. We should go back before the Heartless come."

 _Yeah, this is no time for games._

"But…but Sora…" The fear was creeping into her voice.

"Yuna?"

"I don't know where I am!"

"It's okay," he kept his voice loud but reassuring. "Just keep talking and…"

Yuna's piercing cry hit the air. Sora ran forward, feet taking paths as they came without thinking where he was going or how he was going to get back. Yuna wailed again. Stray metal, bolts and other wreckage that could've been the remnants of homes or shops threatened to trip Sora but he kept his balance, never stopping for a moment.

The chill in the air was too familiar. He had no time to slow down.

"Sora! Where are you?"

"Don't worry Yuna I'm coming!"

"Hurry! The Heartless are…" The rest of the words were lost to a scream.


	37. Chapter 37

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Thirty-Seven

Sora turned a corner and there they were, five Heartless. But Yuna wasn't with them; she was deeper in the ruined city. The Heartless, all men and dressed in matching faded royal blue uniforms, turned listlessly to face Sora. Their dead eyes watched him closely. They shifted into formation: two in the front and back rows and one in the centre who began to prepare a spell, an oddly bone-like staff grasped in its gloved hands. Sora blinked and missed it. The others were suddenly holding wickedly sharp, cone-shaped swords. Sora's hand swept through the air as he summoned the Keyblade, ignoring the twinge in his side.

"Yuna!"

She didn't respond. Instead the sword-wielding Heartless soared, their swords held high over their heads. Sora looked up and with a gasp jumped out the way just in time to avoid serious harm. Keyblade twirling in his hand, he brought it to a stop before pushing forward to take out the closest Heartless. He thought it was going to aim high but even as he shifted his defence to counter it, the Heartless tossed the weapon into the air and caught it in its other hand, turning a rapid pirouette and slashing at Sora's waist. He had an instant to save himself and he just about managed to throw himself to ground and duck below the slash. Trying to regain his feet, one hand still on the ground, Sora parried a blow to his chest. Ignoring the mounting pain he threw caution to the wind and cartwheeled to his feet. Taking only a second to gather his strength Sora moved, kicking the sword off balance and stabbing the Keyblade's tip into the Heartless' shoulder. Bones beneath the pale surface creaked before snapping. Sora pulled his weapon free but he knew the Heartless wasn't defeated. Right arm useless it fell back to the spell-caster and allowed the other three to take its place. They moved like a well-trained unit, forming a triangle to pin Sora in before he had a chance to map out their movements. His only option was a high jump and he sprung upwards, turning a somersault and landing atop a pile of metal. The unstable stack began to slide away so he jumped again, hitting the ground behind all five Heartless.

The adrenaline was starting to scream through his veins, taking the pain away with it. Good, he could use that. He dodged a Heartless' sword before sending the Keyblade flying into another tottering scrap heap. As his weapon returned the metal cascaded down, pinning one of the Heartless beneath it. When the blood stopped tricking out of every rusting gap Sora knew it was dead. Finally, the odds were starting to even out.

The other two flew over the debris, one aiming high and the other low. Sora spied a thick metal pipe. He grabbed it and held it above his head, keeping Oblivion across his body. He managed to catch both the swords, his feet skidding across the ground as his muscles trembled beneath the weight and power. With a defiant cry Sora shoved the Heartless back, his weapons sweeping the swords away. Keeping hold of the pipe he moved on the Heartless duo, pushing one back with a blast of Firaga while taking the other one on. Unused to using his left hand, the blows delivered by the pipe felt weak and useless. Sora grabbed both weapons in his hands and, pipe leading the way, batted the Heartless' sword away. Lunging forward, left arm thrust out to keep the sword at bay, Sora rolled towards the Heartless' torso. Forgoing any attempts at finesse he stabbed the Keyblade into the Heartless' throat. Blood joined the rain. The sword clanged to the ground as its master died. Sora had no time to celebrate. Ripping the Keyblade free Sora realised the Heartless he had managed to fend off with Firaga was making a comeback. But that wasn't all: the spell-caster was ready and Sora could feel the magic it was about to slam into him. He couldn't avoid it all.

Another sword connected with the Keyblade and Sora's lead pipe. Sora took more and more of the Heartless' weight until the soldier's balance relied on his block. The spell was coming, big and nasty. Sora's arms went slack and he tossed the pipe away, causing the sword to slip. The Keyblade caught it and forced the Heartless' arms over its head, giving Sora the space he needed. The spell was released. Ragnarok lifted Sora off his feet, his rapid blows hitting the Heartless again and again and again. But before he could finish the move Graviga slammed into him, throwing him down and crushing him with a weight he couldn't see. Body groaning, Sora tried and failed to come up with a method of escape. When he thought his bones would be crushed, the spell ended. Yanking air into lungs almost crushed by the ribs encasing them, Sora struggled to regain his feet. Everything throbbed, his body feeling so heavy. He noticed the wizard healing the Heartless with the broken arm. Narrowing his eyes, Sora chose his target. Casting Thundaga stunned the two remaining soldiers, allowing Sora to close the gap between himself and the magic user. The Heartless tried to summon a hurried attack but Strike Raid carried its staff away. Oblivion back in his hands Sora forced his body into a jump. Kicking his leg around, Sora twisted in the air and slammed the Keyblade into the Heartless' head, digging it in and dragging it down the magician's body. Blood welled in heavy, black globules. They seemed to sink into Oblivion's darkness and as Sora pulled his weapon away the Heartless succumbed, falling to its knees. Sora took no chances. Knowing the two soldiers were closing in, he disengaged his mind from his heart and loped the wizard's head off, spinning around as he did so to avoid watching the once-human head hitting the ground as though it were one of Wakka's blitzballs.

The remaining soldiers were on him. Fending off an attack from the left Sora kept his front-line opponent back with Stopga. But that was it; he was out of magic and hadn't remembered to pick up any Elixirs from Tifa. Cursing he moved to the left, parrying a blow to his knees. He aimed for the Heartless' chest but the soldier slapped Oblivion away with his hand. Sora had been ready for it. Recalling Tifa's fighting style, Sora ran to the side, running up the jagged steps of a former building to gain extra height. He jumped into the air. His legs kicked out, left then right, both scoring a hit before he landed at the Heartless' side. He was starting to learn the benefits of using more than the Keyblade to fight with. He just had to hope that Ansem wouldn't decide to change these Heartless and limit the ways Sora could defeat them.

Speaking of Ansem, he had been awfully quiet. Why wasn't he saying anything? Where had all the veiled threats and warnings gone? Sora certainly didn't mind the silence in his head. It was just very unexpected.

This was not the time for thinking. The Heartless recovered from the attack, its dead eyes still managing to rage. Holding the sword low to its thighs, it crouched and jousted at Sora. The attack was easy to avoid. But Sora had forgotten the other solider and he found himself smacking into its freezing body. Somehow he bounced off, the chill coating his back. His adrenaline took a drain but Sora didn't stop going. Somersaulting over the Heartless he was facing, landing on a heap of metal before jumping high again, Sora grasped the Keyblade with both hands over his head. He swung it down but was caught by the soldier's sword. Sora wasn't done. He had a moment before gravity pulled him down. The shape of the sword meant only its tip was sharp. Dismissing the Keyblade he gripped the Heartless' blade and swung down. Slamming his boots into the Heartless' chin, Sora wrenched the sword from the Heartless' cold hands. The weapon was like an icicle in his hands, the chill burrowing in and numbing his fingers. Tossing it as far away as he could, Sora called the Keyblade back. Oblivion quivered in his hands. The chill robbed him of his ability to keep it still. But the Heartless was undefended. It was now or never. With no magic to call on, Sora worked alone. His blows were driven by his need to find Yuna. Blood spurted in the air, hot as it joined the rain and tricked down Sora's cheeks. His final attack came from below. The soldier tried to defend but his arms were a useless block. Sora smashed right through them, the Keyblade crushing the Heartless' face. It hit the ground, puddles splashing up before pushing the body down into the mud.

Sora turned. One left. He didn't have a chance to attack. It rammed the blunt side of its sword into him, sending him sprawling into a stack of metal. The Keyblade fell from his hand. The wind burst out of him but he managed to look up and realise his fate. The junk pile rocked back and forth for a moment before collapsing. Sora threw his arms over his head and pulled himself into as small a ball as he could manage. The wreckage rained down on him, blotting out the grey sky and replacing it with rain. He was pinned beneath it, completely unable to move. He figured he was probably meant to be dead: the weight upon him had to have been tonnes upon more tonnes. Maybe he was dead. But Yuna needed him! He could still hear the rain rushing down. His side ached mercilessly. He wasn't sure he'd be able to get up even if he wasn't dead. Was he dead? Didn't seem likely. He struggled to move. Still nothing. There was another sound joining the rain. Was it gunfire? The darkness was beginning to shift, light finding its way in through cracks. He could even move a little, reach out with a hand.

"Over here!"

Another hand, warmer than his own, grabbed him and wrenched him up. Metal screamed and made his ears throb as he was pulled out of the wreckage, Barret's face filling his vision.

"You awright?"

"I've gotta find Yuna!" Sora took one step forwards before his side threw up all kinds of protests, the pain buckling his knees.

"Whoa!" Barret grabbed him and kept him still. "Don't worry, Tifa and Red are on it. She'll be fine." Barret unzipped Sora's jacket and pulled up the black shirt beneath. "Hm, looks like yeh managed to yank sum've the stitches out. Typical kid ain't ya?"

"But…!"

Galuf walked over. "You did pretty well on your own but you are still recovering. Here," he held Oblivion out and Sora took it, the weapon fizzling away because it wasn't needed. "Now, let's go back to the ship and wait for the others. Then we can figure out what we're…"

 _ **Hear us. Hear our voice.**_

From somewhere within the ruins a cry, long and mournful, echoed out. Sora, Barret and Galuf all stood and listened. The cry went on, never gaining in intensity but never losing its piercing lament.

 _ **Hear us.**_

"Who is that?" Sora said. "That isn't Yuna."

And it wasn't Ansem.

No one had a chance to answer him. Tifa came running through the rain, Red close behind. He paused for a moment and a Heartless just like those Sora had fought came into view. Red exploded forwards, rearing up on his hind legs and thwacking the Heartless to the left and then the right. The soldier fell to its knees and Red finished it off with his a rolling blow. He chased after Tifa. When they grew closer Sora realised Tifa held Yuna in her arms. Holding a hand to his side he walked forward to meet them. Yuna had to be alright. Tifa stopped in front of him.

"Is she…?"

"Sora!" Yuna launched out of Tifa's grip and threw her arms around the teenager's neck. "I'm sorry I got us into trouble! The Heartless came and I didn't know what to do…I cast Barrier over and over and over so they couldn't get me and then Tifa and Red came. I tried to find you but I got lost and…"

Wincing as Yuna's knee knocked his inflamed side, Sora hugged the girl before setting her on her feet. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have chased you."

"Let's get back," Tifa said, pushing the younger two on. "We need to gather our supplies and maps before heading any further into Midgar." She shivered in the rain. "This place is too dangerous for us to wander around unprepared."

The journey back to the ship was thankfully free of dramatics. Sora kept looking back, trying to spot the source of the crying. No one else seemed bothered about it but it was sending chills down his spine. What was it?

"You hear it too?" Red asked, looking up.

"Is there someone out there?" Sora replied, looking back once again.

"Only ghosts," Tifa answered, looking haggard. "That's all there is in this old city now."

When they reached the ship Galuf dragged Sora back to the kitchen and set about fixing the stitches. Sora removed his jacket and sat down by rote. His attention was elsewhere. The city's cries were still echoing all around, seeping through the ship's metal body. Sora's hands found Valefor still tucked below the blankets. He clutched it tightly, trying to bring his mind closer to home. Yuna was fine. He sighed in relief. That was all that mattered.

 _ **Hear us. Come to us.**_

"There, good as new. You're healing well. You just did a little too much too soon I think."

"Hm? Oh, right." Sora looked around as if he expected to find a ghostly presence. "Do you hear that?" he asked Galuf. "It's like something's calling out."

"It's just the Heartless," Galuf replied. "You learn to get used to it after a while." He ruffled Sora's hair. "Don't worry about it too much, they can't hurt you. They're just lost hearts with nowhere else to go."

There was an edge creeping into the sound, something darker than sorrow. It kept calling. Sora's frown was heavy as he pushed himself off the kitchen's work surface and headed back to the main hatch where Red, Tifa, and Barret were all making preparations for the next trip into Midgar. Yuna sat off to the side, watching intently and passing potions and other supplies when someone called for one.

"Sora, this is for you." Yuna tossed him a new PHS. "Don't lose it!"

He grinned. "I'll do my best." Then he turned to Tifa. "Are we going back out soon?"

"I think we'll leave it tonight and head back tomorrow," Tifa replied. "That way we'll all be fully rested. How's the side?"

Sora's hand hovered over it. "A little sore but not too bad. I'll be fine tomorrow."

 _ **Not tomorrow. Come to us.**_

"We not entirely sure what other Heartless are here," Red spoke up. "The ones we all fought appeared to be former members of SOLDIER, ShinRa's elite military group. It's unsurprising we had a hard time dealing with them. Midgar was home to some nasty monsters in its day. Chances are they're now Heartless."

"And where we've got to go is near an open pool to the Lifestream. It'd attract the strongest Heartless to it." Tifa managed a laugh. "Leaving the Phoenix Summon and the Final Attack materia there seemed like such a good idea at the time."

"What is the Lifestream?" Sora asked. "It's green and sparkly right?"

"Yeah. The Lifestream is what keeps this planet alive. It's pretty complicated but basically it's where all things go when they die to help keep the living ecosystem in balance. It also stores untold knowledge and wisdom gathered from all the people it's absorbed." Tifa looked out a porthole. "The Heartless haven't killed it off but I don't know how much longer it'll last. And when it's gone this world really will be destroyed."

The city didn't stop crying and Sora was beginning to understand why. He folded his arms over his chest. "Is there no way to block that sound out?"

"No, not at all," Tifa replied. "When the Heartless came and took everyone away the ruins of Midgar started to cry. It's quiet from time to time but mostly it's like this."

 _ **Hear us.**_

"And the voice?" Everyone looked at Sora. "What, don't you hear it?" No one replied. "Great. Just me then?"

"Midgar cries out because of all the Heartless. Maybe you're just hearing them," Red theorised. "You do wield the Keyblade so it isn't impossible that you'd hear and see things no one else notices."

Sora managed a lop-sided grin. "It's gonna be a long night."

When the Leon, Cloud, Cid and Aerith finally arrived in Traverse Town the situation had worsened. People were being forced from their homes by the Heartless. The oddly limp creatures didn't attack but Kairi knew all a person had to do was touch one and the awful chill would pierce their entire body. The First District was starting to look like a refugee camp with people huddled in groups all over the place and the various shops in the area doing their best to help the people, supplying them with food and blankets.

"The good news is this isn't happening on every world," Aerith said, her usually relaxed face sharpened by concern.

"The bad news is it's happening on four worlds," Cloud went on. "Here, Hollow Bastion, Disney Castle and Destiny Islands."

Kairi gasped in horror, hands flying to her mouth as she envisioned her family and friends battling the unstoppable enemy. She sprung to her feet, blankets slipping away. "We have to help them!"

"Don't worry. The residents of Disney Castle and Traverse Town are already dealing with the evacuations," Leon replied coolly. "The Heartless won't have any victims."

"But why are they here at all?" Kairi asked. "It doesn't make any sense – Sora and the King sealed Kingdom Hearts. There haven't been any attacks since then. And why are these Heartless so strange? They aren't attacking – they're just drifting like mist."

"They ain't made any hostile moves," Cid agreed. "On every world it was just like they are here – there but not attacking."

"Maybe they dunno what to do now that Ansem's gone," Goofy provided.

"I don't like it," Leon stated. "There's not much we can do without Sora or the King. If the Keyholes have somehow become unsealed that's something only they can deal with."

"The best thing we can do is continue our research." Aerith began unloading her books onto the table in the small house. "Something will turn up."

"Are you sure they're evacuating the other worlds?" Kairi asked. "Where will they take all the people?"

"Queen Minnie is taking a lot of her people and the people of Destiny Islands to Agrabah," Cloud answered her, reaching over to the table and picking out a book. "If we get the chance we could go there."

Kairi looked relieved. "I'd be grateful if we could." Even the thought of facing everyone after running off with only a note to announce it didn't faze her. Her family's anger would be a small price to pay in return for their safety.

"Well then we'd better get on with these books," Donald said, taking one for himself and passing another tome to Goofy. "The sooner we get through this lot the sooner we can go to Agrabah."

"Right," Kairi said with a smile and she picked out a book for herself. Constantly telling herself everyone she loved was perfectly safe, Kairi managed to force her gut-wrenching panic to the very depths of her mind. Focusing on the work ahead of her also helped. The words on the page were complicated but she made herself read them over and over until they made sense. Occasionally she looked over her book and saw all the others concentrating hard. Even Yuffie was flicking through a slim notebook. A little smile made its way onto the redhead's face. Everything would work out eventually.

She just had to hope the Heartless didn't start attacking before the answers to finding Sora became clear.

Hours went by. The night wasn't merely long. It was unending. When the darkness had fallen it had done so without warning. The grey sky was suddenly black. The rain didn't stop. It beat down upon the ship even as the occupants slumbered. Well, most the occupants were asleep.

"Sora?" Yuna, dressed in pink pyjamas with Moogle prints all over them, gingerly crept into the kitchen with a yellow blanket wrapped around her. She looked tearful as she rubbed her tired eyes. "Um…can I…um…it's just I'm a little scared and I was wondering if maybe I could stay with you."

Standing up from his kitchen bed Sora walked over to Yuna and crouched down on her level. He placed a warm hand on her hair. "Did you have a bad dream?"

She nodded and a few tears fell. "It was about the Heartless."

He gathered her up and returned to the blanketed worktop. "Don't worry, they can't hurt you. They'll never get on this ship, not with all of us here to stop them. And look," he reached into the blankets and pulled Valefor out. "You left him here with me."

"Oh! I completely forgot!"

"You were right about him keeping nightmares away. I didn't have one bad dream while he was here. You know he'll keep you safe too."

Yuna reached out of her blanket and tugged Valefor close. Yawning she laid down and curled up, pulling a few of Sora's sheets with her. "Sora, do you know why the city's crying?"

 _ **Come to us.**_

"Maybe it's lonely. It must miss the people who lived here once."

"That's what I thought." Yuna yawned. "Did you have bad dreams about the Heartless when you were little?" she asked as he settled himself back down.

"No. When I was little the Heartless weren't around. At least, they weren't on my world. They came when I was fourteen."

"What happened?"

"Yuna I don't think you wanna hear stories about the Heartless tonight." Sora tried to laugh but it sounded fake. How could he talk about one of the worst occurrences in his entire life to a child who already had enough terrible experiences to create horrific nightmares out of? "Just think about all your favourite things. That's what my mom told me to do when I had nightmares."

 _ **You will come.**_

"Maybe you'll tell me some other time?" She asked with her eyes closed as another yawn stretched her mouth wide open.

"Maybe."

It didn't take Yuna long to drift off, buried in Sora's blankets. Time crawled by, the rain lashing the ship never changing its tempo. He kept a close eye on Yuna but she never stirred uneasily. He tried to sleep on his back but he couldn't. He tried his good side but still sleep refused to come. His senses were full of the city. In the depths of the night its wail seemed even louder, its sadness more piercing. The cries were distressing. It was like the sound of a child lost and alone, crying out but never found. Sora gazed at the ceiling deep in thought, arms held behind his head. Something was calling. The others heard the crying. Only he heard more. What was it? Where in the city was it coming from? He sat up slowly, not wanting to disturb Yuna. He wasn't quite sure he could believe what he was thinking.

 _ **Come.**_

He had to go.

 _ **Come to us.**_

He stood up and picked his jacket off another worktop. He put his boots on by the door and walked out.

"Sora?"

He stopped by the door and looked back. "It's okay Yuna. Go back to sleep."

"Um, but where are you going?"

He carried on walking, pulling his jacket on as he left. "I don't know."

"Wait!"

But sealing Yuna in the kitchen wasn't a major deal for the wielder of the Keyblade. He shut the door and Oblivion locked it in the same second, leaving Yuna to pound and yell.

"Sora what are you doing? Don't go!"

 _ **Leave her. Leave them all. Come to us. Come.**_

He walked to the ship's hatch, surprised to find Tifa there. She was fully dressed and stood just inside the ship, silently watching the rain tumble out the sky.

"Tifa what are you doing up?

She jerked in surprise and turned to face him, hurriedly brushing away the few tears that clung to her face. "Oh, just thinking. I couldn't sleep." She looked at him curiously. "What about you? Why are you up?"

"I have to go."

The light atmosphere grew heavy. "What are you talking about?"

"It's calling to me. I have to go."

 _ **Come. We can help her. She's of our world. Come to us, we can give her the happiness she needs.**_

"Sora you can't go into that city alone. You know how dangerous it is."

He stepped out into the sodden night. "It'll help you if I do. This is your world. It'll make you happy if I go."

"It?"

Sora ignored her. He pulled his hood over his head and walked down the ramp.

 _ **Hurry.**_

Tifa chased after him, the rain half blinding her. "Sora, stop. I know the city cries but that doesn't mean…"

 _ **Ignore her. She doesn't understand. She cares but she can't see past her concern. Leave her behind. Come.**_

Sora looked at Tifa, smiling blandly. He didn't really know why he felt so calm, so ready to do as he was told but he felt no need to worry or fight back. He raised a hand up and rested it on Tifa's cheek, her skin cold beneath his touch. Her eyes widened with surprise. He brushed a stray tear away. "Sorry. It's calling. I don't really know why it wants me but I'll go and find out."

"Sora…"

"Stopga."

Tifa froze and Sora hurried off into the city. His feet pounded over the wet ground. The crying finally seemed to be stopping, dragging itself away into silence.

 _ **This way.**_

"Who are you?" Sora didn't know why he hadn't asked before.

 _ **Everyone. Ageless but ending. We do not wish to end. Come to us. No one will stop you. Come. We know who you are.**_

It was then that Sora looked up and saw the green light shining over Midgar. The ribbons of glimmering light reminded him of that night so long ago aboard the boat on Brighthelmston with Donald and Goofy. The familiar pang of worry tightened his heart. Were they okay?

 _ **We do not know. They are not of our world. Their loss is of no concern to us.**_

He wound his way deeper and deeper into the city. Sometimes he had to clamber up over decrepit buildings and crumbling masonry but every time he climbed higher he saw more. He could see where the light was coming from. Its glow was in the city's dead centre, the ethereal light weaving into the air and making the rain shine. It was beautiful.

 _ **Help us. We can help you too. Come. Don't let us end. Hurry.**_

Sora ran on, noticing the shadows gathering around him. The Heartless were everywhere, former humans and monster-like creatures crawling out of every broken window and crushed doorway. There was no way he'd survive a fight against all of them.

 _ **This way. Hurry. Leave them for now. Come.**_

A roar of engines broke through the voice and gushing rain. Looking up Sora saw the ship flying overhead. Confused he came to a standstill, the ruined city heaving with Heartless around him. When they started to run Sora knew he had to move. He raced onwards, ever deeper into Midgar. The city called to him.

 _ **Use Ultima. Take them all out. Come to us. Hurry. Help us.**_

He could see the pool of light now. In front of what had once been the ShinRa Building a jagged scar cracked the ground. The closer he got the more green light he could see. Was that the Lifestream?

 _ **Yes. The Lifestream. We are the Lifestream. We are this world. Help us, wielder of the Keyblade. Its ancient power connects us to you. It will protect you from harm. Help us and we shall aid you. Help us. Use Ultima. Come.**_

Sora skidded to a stop just as he reached the rim of the crater. Green light blinded him and he turned back, the city blotted out by countless Heartless. It was as though every single Heartless in all of Midgar was closing in on him.

 _ **Their Master does not wish for you to succeed but you shall. He cannot reach you while we are here. We will not let him.**_

"I did wonder why he'd been so quiet."

 _ **Use Ultima. Slay them all and come to us.**_

Sora's hand reached into his pocket and he pulled Ultima out. The Heartless were running at him, some wielding weapons whereas others relied on their own mutated bodies. The Lifestream's light wrapped around him, its touch calm but full of power. For a moment he was overwhelmed, his ears ringing with billions upon billions of whispering voices. The Keyblade appeared in Sora's hand and every voice fell into an awed silence. Grasping Ultima tightly, Sora called the spell out of the green orb. As it screamed out with it's crackling cry the Lifestream raged up around him, catching Ultima and dragging it across the entire city. When the spell ended the Heartless, however many there had been, were gone.

 _ **Thank you. Now, come. Your time with us has only just begun.**_

Tired but not completely drained, Sora turned to face the green pool once again. It soothed him, turned his tiredness into tranquillity and his aches into comfort. The light in his blue eyes grew brighter and brighter.

"Wait!"

Sora looked over his shoulder dispassionately. Galuf, Barret and Red stood behind him. Barret was already running to stop him, Galuf not too far behind.

"Sora you don't understand," Red called, ever the voice of reason. "If you fall into the Lifestream your mind will be overwhelmed. Humans can't withstand it. You'll be poisoned and your mind will die."

 _ **He isn't lying. But the Keyblade's power has more uses than you know. It will protect you. Besides, another human survived.**_

"Who?" Sora asked, holding the Keyblade with both hands.

 _ **Cloud Strife.**_

Sora's eyes widened with shock. He looked at Red as he took a step back. "Cloud Strife is from this world?"

Red bounced forward, excited, joyful surprise written over his face. "You know Cloud? Sora where is he?"

 _ **Yes, this world is home to Cloud. We lost him and many others who mean a great deal to us. We'd love for them to return. You can do it. Help us. Come, now.**_

"Red, I didn't know this was Cloud's world too!"

Another step and the ground ran out. Sora fell backwards. Then his world turned green and sparkly.


	38. Chapter 38

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Thirty-Eight

Sora hadn't really noticed but at some point the green had turned black. He also couldn't remember when it was he had chosen to sit down rather than stand up. Now that he was aware of these two things he began to notice something else. In the distance someone stood with their back to him. For a moment all he could hear was the blood rushing through his ears. His heart pounded, his breath got stuck in his chest. Wasn't he meant to be alone in this place?

The person moved, looking back over their shoulder at him.

Sora got to his feet. Who was that?

"Sora, you abandoned me. You did nothing to help me."

"Riku?"

The silver haired teen turned away, his voice echoing through the emptiness. "Did you laugh at me, knowing that as you grew more and more powerful I just got weaker?"

"No, I would never do that."

"You thought I was pathetic. You thought you were better than me."

"That isn't true!"

"You were bathed in light while I cowered in shadows." Riku laughed, the sound harsh and brittle. "Don't tell me you didn't feel a little superior."

Sora looked down at his feet. "I…"

"I thought so." There was no pleasure in Riku's voice. "You always wanted to beat me."

"It wasn't like that! I didn't know what to do!" His hands tightened into fists. "It wasn't meant to happen like that." Sora looked up and stepped forward. "Riku you know I never meant to…"

"But you did." He began walking away.

"Stop!"

Riku didn't.

"Riku…" Sora ran after him. "Please wait!" He ran as fast as he could but Riku kept getting further and further away. "I'll make up for it!"

His voice sounded out even as he disappeared into the darkness. "Will you?"

"I will!"

Sora came to a standstill to catch his breath. Riku was gone, lost to the…

"Hey." Something tugged on his pants. "When did you get so tall?"

Looking down Sora could quite believe what he saw. He rubbed his eyes and tried again. The other was still there and now the darkness was a place, a familiar one too. Hollow Bastion's Rising Falls were dark and the water didn't stop rushing but Sora still knew who he was looking at as he crouched down to be on their level.

"You're…"

"You, yup!" Little Sora looked up with a bright smile. He couldn't have been more than six or seven, dressed in that old white and blue t-shirt, bright red shorts and yellow sandals. "I'm so glad I get to be so tall! But," a frown creased his brow. "But I bet Riku's still taller." He grabbed Sora's pants again, still having to look up to his older self despite Sora being on his knees. "But Kairi isn't, is she? She's still all tiny right?"

"Uh…yeah. But…um…"

"I'm Sora!"

Sora scratched the back of his head, a bemused smile on his face. "Don't you think that's gonna get confusing?"

"Nope." The child started sweeping his foot back and forth through the small pool atop one of the rocky outcroppings. "Besides Sora is my name too. You can't go and rename me!"

"Okay, okay, sorry…Sora." He laughed. "This is weird. Anyway, why am I here? I thought I was in the Lifestream."

"Oh, you are. This is part of it. Cool huh?"

Sora felt like sitting back down. "This is more complicated than I expected."

His younger self tugged him forward. "Come on, we've got things to do."

"Things to do?"

"Uh huh. There's a test. You'd better pass it!"

"I was never very good at tests you know."

"You don't wanna fail this one."

Sora swallowed hard. "What do I have to do?"

Little Sora pointed. "Watch. It's starting."

Two new figures appeared, their features hidden in darkness. The younger Sora clutched his elder's hand tightly. Sora looked down, seeing an odd look on his small counterpart's face. "Who are they? Are they Heartless?"

The younger looked up, his face compressed with sadness. "Don't you remember this?" There was shame in his eyes. "I can understand why you'd want to forget though."

And as Sora watched he began to know why this was one memory he kept at arm's length.

"He did what?" Tifa cried out, hovering by the edge of the Lifestream pool with the others close behind her. "Why?"

"He said it was calling to him," Red replied.

"I know that! He wasn't himself. His eyes…they were glowing like…"

"Like he had Mako in him?" Red provided. "It was the Lifestream. Somehow it connected to him – probably via the Keyblade. Utterly fascinating."

"What do we do now? How will we find him? What if he doesn't make it out?"

Yuna choked back a sob. "Don't say that Tifa!"

"Tifa there's something…"

Barret nudged Red with a knee and shook his head. "Later."

Red nodded ever so slightly just as Tifa looked at him. "What is it Red?"

He quickly came up with something else to say. "We still need to get the materia. We should do that and then we can think of a plan. We don't know how long the Heartless will be gone. Scans indicate there are countless numbers all over the planet. Northern Crater is an especially hot spot. If they come here we won't stand a chance. Besides," he padded over and stood beside Tifa as he gazed into the green stream. "I think Sora will be fine. He has a way of coming out of these things unscathed wouldn't you say?"

"Not like this Red. This is the Lifestream. We both know what that does to people. Although…" A faint glimmer of hope lightened Tifa's face. "Yes, there is a chance."

"Come on, let's get what we came fer. I didn't like this place when it was in one piece." Barret rested his arm over Tifa's shoulders. "It's gonna work out. Don't it always?"

"Do you want an answer to that?"

"Eh, mebbe not."

Tifa forced herself to look away from the Lifestream pit. "Let's go. Galuf, stay here with Yuna."

"Gotcha. Yuna, let's go back to the ship." Galuf held out a hand.

Yuna, still clad in her Moogle pyjamas, looked at the others a moment longer, her eyes seeking comfort, before she allowed herself to be led away. "Can't I help?" she asked.

"You'll be helping by making sure you stay safe," Galuf replied. "Come on, we can go run some scans and keep an eye on the Heartless. That way we'll be useful right?"

Yuna cheered up a little and gave a nod. The two of them disappeared onto the ship just as Barret, Tifa and Red stepped into the ruins of the ShinRa building.

"How far in is it?" Red asked, looking around. The sweeping staircases were both smashed beyond usage and the ceiling high above had numerous worrisome cracks. "I doubt the building will fall but…"

"It's at the bottom of the lift shafts in the back," Tifa said. "Come on, we'll have to climb over all this," she waved at the broken up displays, chunks of stairs and assorted junk that had fallen together to form an odd hill. "Shouldn't be too hard to grab."

"Then we can start figurin' out what the hell we're gonna do next," Barret said as he followed behind Tifa. "Find Zidane I guess."

"Got a few other things to worry about before then wouldn't you say?" Red carefully hopped up the concrete mountain.

"I'm tryin' to sound optimistic!"

"I think for now we need to stay firmly grounded in reality," Red retorted. "Sora will, in all probability, turn up again and somehow manage to be fine. However we shouldn't forget that there's a chance he'll come back to us with his mind not entirely intact."

"'Not entirely intact'. Red we'll be lucky if he still knows his own name. You remember how bad…"

"Let's just worry about the here and now," Tifa called back. "I don't want to think about the what ifs."

Sora watched as Riku walked away with the Keyblade, Donald and Goofy following close behind. He watched a figment of himself fall to his knees, that silly wooden sword on the stonework ahead of him. Sora's stomach tightened painfully. Yes, he had spent a lot of time trying to forget this moment.

"What were you thinking?" the child asked.

"Not a lot. It hurt."

"You're lying."

"Yeah, probably." Sora shook his head. "Why am I seeing this?"

"When this happened, for a moment you confronted the darkness within yourself."

Sora looked down at himself in shock, the words sounding so odd coming from the child's mouth. "What?"

"You've been doing it more and more lately. Didn't you think there was a reason why?"

"I don't understand."

Little Sora turned to face the figment. "For a moment all you thought about was finding Riku and hurting him. It was the briefest flicker but it was there, it was something you thought about doing." He turned and faced the real Sora. The little boy smiled. "Didn't you?"

Sora bowed his head, the shame of such a violent impulse flushing his cheeks. "Yeah. I wanted to…"

"Say it. Say it and we can move on."

"…smash his face in." He looked away, thoroughly disgusted. "I wanted to hurt him until he gave back everything he had taken from me."

"Why?"

"Because…!" Where had his words gone? He couldn't find the right ones to form an explanation. "Because…"

His child self snatched up his hand again. "Don't worry. We all get a little angry now and then."

"I don't like getting that angry. It makes me feel sick." Sora still looked miserable. "What if I got so angry I made a terrible mistake and hurt someone?"

The child's smile was sweet. "Haven't you already?"

The words were like a punch to the stomach. "What?"

"Hm, and what if you got so angry you used the Keyblade the wrong way and destroyed an entire world?"

The words echoed around his mind. Destroyed an entire world… "I could do that." It was as though he had only just realised it. But hadn't he known all along?

"Kinda scary huh?"

"Yeah…" Sora sounded silly to his own ears. "Very."

The younger pointed to something behind Sora. "Look over there."

Sora turned and found himself standing in the Grand Hall. Three men emerged from the shadows, each one as still as stone. Tsuko, Metsu and Yuki. Sora felt anger growing inside him. Fools. That's what the three of them were for messing with forces they knew nothing about.

"Do you hate them?"

"I…"

"They all hurt you. Tsuko thinks he's so superior. Metsu was a liar and Yuki a traitor."

"…I do."

Little Sora looked thoughtful. "You must hate a lot of people if that's all it takes. I guess you hate Riku then."

Sora shot him a look. "You know I don't hate Riku. Tsuko, Metsu and Yuki are different. They didn't get manipulated like Riku did. They were just a bunch of arrogant idiots who thought they knew best. They were wrong. Besides…the two of them," He jabbed a finger at the two brothers, "wound up getting me possessed. That doesn't make me wanna like them."

"You're funny!"

Sora grinned mirthlessly. "Would you like it if they did to you what they did to me?"

"Duh, they did! I am you. I'm just smaller." Little Sora smirked. "And you're right, I do hate them even though at the same time I don't hate Riku. Kinda weird huh?"

Sora got down on his knees again. "It's complicated but that's how the heart is. Riku's my best friend and the closest I'll ever have to a brother. We had a friendship to fall back on. The others were just strangers who stepped into my life and tried to end it."

"Shouldn't you find a way to not hate them?"

Sora cast his eyes at the three still men. "I suppose. It'd be the mature thing to do. But…it's hard."

"But isn't hating something or someone a bad thing to feel?"

"Yeah."

"And shouldn't you be better than that?"

"Probably. I don't know how though."

"I guess we can work on it huh?"

"Yeah. So, what's next?"

"Another bad one." The child smiled. "But we'll be okay won't we?"

The scream jerked Sora. He turned and found himself standing in the Wonderland snow, watching as Yuna fell to the Highwind's deck with a gunshot wound. The anger he had felt then had lessened but the guilt and horror certainly hadn't. Seeing it again, watching Yuna scream and fall, almost reduced him to tears but he held them back. This event was in the past. It was over. Yuna was fine.

It still hurt. He had still failed to protect her from harm. It was another reason Yuna had nightmares when she slept.

"You killed the one who shot her you know."

"Did I? Oh."

The child looked upset. "Don't you care? She was a person, not a Heartless."

"She hurt Yuna. Yuna's a little girl! How could a person be so…so… cruel?"

"How could you kill her?"

Sora didn't feel the need for much justification. "I was angry."

"Did she deserve it?"

"Yes." He didn't hesitate, not even for a wavering second.

The little boy walked away, the snow from Sora's memory swirling around him. "Who are you turning into?"

That gave Sora a start. "What do you mean?"

"You're a murderer."

Without another word the child ran away, lost in the hazy trees. Sora didn't follow him at first. Was the younger Sora right? Yeah, he was. Sora had killed the one who had shot Yuna with Ultima. But why? Had she deserved it? What right did Sora have to make that kind of a decision?

Light. Darkness. The grey place between. Was he sinking?

Sora stopped thinking and started running after his younger self. He couldn't see him at all in the trees. He plunged into the woods, noticing that the trees were strangely blurry. It was almost as if they weren't there. He squinted, trying to bring them into focus even as he ran. It was no good. Everything around him was starting to shift out of focus. Odd.

"This is the grey place."

Sora skidded to a stop. He turned and found the other Sora walking towards him, head bowed.

"You didn't really realise but when you killed that person, your heart began to slip into this." He reached out with a hand. "And then…" Oblivion shimmered into the air, the black Keyblade still ominous despite being a ghost. "Oblivion is a symbol of darkness and you wield it."

"But I don't… I'm not falling into darkness! I won't!"

"You have once."

"That was different! Besides I'm not a Heartless now."

The little boy smiled. "Nope, you sure aren't. That's why you need to realise a few things so that everything gets a little more balanced. 'Cause right now you're kinda messing things up."

"Messing things up?"

Little Sora shook his head and grabbed the elder's hand. "Come on, one more to go. Then we can talk some more."

The grey turned into a dream. They stood on the lake, the castle far away upon the hill. Sora shivered even though he didn't feel the coldness of the ice. This place was Disney Castle but not quite what he had imagined it to be.

"This isn't an ordinary dream."

Sora shot his little self a dark glare. "I know that."

"This is sort of like looking at the past, present and future."

"All at once? How does that work?"

"It's like you see how this place is," the child pointed to the ruined castle far away. "How it was and how it should be," he pointed to the castle lurking below the ice. "And then there's even more this place can do! Isn't it cool?"

"No. Not cool. Bad. Horrible. I don't like it." Sora groaned as the other Sora started giggling and poking his leg. "Oh alright," he grabbed the poking finger and crouched down. "What else does this place mean?"

"Not telling!"

Sora blinked at himself. "Eh?"

"Figure it out!" Little Sora rapped his knuckles against the other's head. "You should know these things!"

"Uh…" He looked around. "Isn't it just a dream about all the things you said?"

"It's your dream. Don't you think there's a part of you in it somewhere?"

Walking away, the younger Sora held his arms up. "All this is in your head and it comes from the heart. Light, dark and the place in-between. It's all there."

Sora straightened to his full height. "Being lectured on all this by myself as a kid is weird you know."

A blinding white light erased Sora's vision for a brief moment. "Is this any better?"

"Whoa! No way! Now it's like…"

"Heh, like you're talking to yourself?" The now teenaged other Sora grinned. "Come on figure it out so we can get moving."

The real Sora rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Okay. If this place comes from my heart then it's telling me…" He paused as he dredged up all the dreams he could remember, shaking them into some kind of order. "I'm falling…no…I'm failing."

"Failed."

Sora looked up sharply and met his own eyes. "Failed? Failed what?"

"The worlds of course. Look at them. They're all wrong."

"I'm doing something about it. I'll make it all right again."

"Will you? You keep getting angry, you murdered someone and your head is full of voices." His other self had a wry look on his face. "Doesn't really bode well for a hero. Does for the wielder of Oblivion though."

"I don't want to use Oblivion! If I could I'd use any other Keychain but they don't work!"

"That's because you're forgetting something."

"Forgetting something? Like what?"

"I can understand why. All this change must be a really huge shock for you. You've lost friends, found new ones, found an old one but hey, he's changed. Add the weird worlds and the voices and I'm not surprised you're cracking under the strain."

"Cracking?" Sora looked at the other quizzically. "But I'm not…"

"Yes you are. Remember the time you snapped at Tifa and Red 'cause they asked about Destiny Islands?"

"They were accusing me of things they had no right to say! That doesn't mean I'm turning evil."

"There's a place between good and evil you know."

"Yeah…but I'm not there!"

"You will be if you don't start facing up to facts."

Sora walked over the ice. "I know what you mean."

"Oh?"

He sighed, going over the memories he had seen and more he hadn't needed to be reminded of. "You're telling me I need to face up to the darkness within myself." Sora's eyes fell again upon the castle on the hill. "It's there, inside me all the time. It has been getting worse lately. That voice, Ansem, always in my head and saying so many things. It's draining." He took a deep breath. "But there's always a light in the dark right?"

"Of course."

"I seem to keep needing to remind myself these days. Before I just knew it."

"Did you hate people before this happened?"

Sora shook his head. "No, never. I don't hate Riku. I'm worried about him. Why can't I help him?"

"What about the one who attacked Yuna? What about Tsuko, Yuki and Metsu?"

"I can't help it. They make me so angry. What am I suppose to do? Forget the things they did and move on?"

"Ideally."

"Mom always said that to hate was human even if it wasn't a good thing to feel."

The other Sora smiled fondly. "Yeah, she did."

"So it's okay for me to hate."

"Is that a risk the Master of the Keyblade can afford to take?"

Sora laughed a little uneasily. A cold wind began to blow. "What are you saying? I can't 'afford' to be human?"

"Maybe you can't."

The two pairs of blue eyes met, one deadly calm the other racing with emotion. The ice began to groan beneath their feet. One took a step back. The ice cracked, web-like fractures racing outwards. Both knew which Sora was about to fall.

"You'll figure it out soon enough. Light, Dark and the place in between – your place in between." Sora's imaginary self began to fade away. "Try not to take too long. After all, you've got a Keyhole to seal and you don't want the Lifestream to claim your life as its own. If you realise what you need to know, it'll come to you."

"Wait! What will…"

But he was gone and Sora plunged into the freezing water.

 _ **Hurry. Light, dark and your place in-between. If you understand we can bring it to you.**_


	39. Chapter 39

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Thirty-Nine

The Phoenix and Final Attack materia orbs had been found.

Yesterday.

The Heartless were all gone. There wasn't a peep. Even the ship's scans picked up nothing. The rain hadn't ended but with the planet in such a forlorn state what possible reason could there be for the sky to shine?

Tifa swallowed a sigh as she watched Yuna playing in the rain with a little yellow umbrella held over her head. At least the little girl managed to enjoy herself despite Sora's prolonged absence. Tifa smiled as Yuna chatted with imaginary companions. She wished they could all find such a carefree attitude. But it wasn't to be. Tifa had to force herself not to go back into Midgar and keep looking in that bright green pool. They'd left the dead metropolis behind and retreated to the cliffs of Cosmo Canyon. The previously warm intellectual hub of the world was barely a shadow of what it had once been. The huts on the cliff's side had turned to dust and the buildings that did remain were all in a sorry state. Worst of all, the Cosmo Candle had died out. Red was heartbroken at the sight of his beloved home in such desperate conditions but he didn't break down. He had left with Barret to see if they could dig up any more information on the shield surrounding Destiny Islands and Disney Castle. It wouldn't be an easy task: the interiors of all the buildings looked as though they'd been ripped apart by a tornado.

"Tifa!" Galuf called down from the ship. "I think you might want to see this!"

"Yuna, come on."

"Oh, can't I stay out and play?"

"No, you know you're not allowed be out here alone. Come on, Galuf wants to show us something."

Hurrying over, Yuna held out her hand. Tifa took hold of it with a smile and the two made their way back to the ship. They followed Galuf, who was looking decidedly intrigued, back to the bridge. He led them to the computer unit that read out the scanner's readings. He pointed at a screen that showed the world map.

"Look." His finger tapped the glass. "See these red dots?"

"There're loads!" Yuna gasped.

"They're all Heartless."

Tifa looked at map more closely. "That's the Northern Crater. Red said it was a hotspot."

"Yeah but these Heartless weren't there two minutes ago. It was like this," Galuf clicked his fingers, "and boom, there they were."

All three watched as the Heartless dots grew and grew in number. All of them appeared to be standing still and yet more blipped into existence with each passing heartbeat. And then, as if someone shouted a command, they all swept forwards to the centre of the Northern Crater.

"What could make them do that?" Tifa asked, barely daring to hope.

"Oh I'm gonna say a boy, roughly fifteen years old, not all that tall, crazy brown hair, blue eyes, wears shoes thirty sizes too big…oh and he runs around with a giant key." Galuf's eyes sparkled and he tapped the screen. "There."

"We have to go, right now." Tifa was running back out the ship. "I'll get Barret and Red. Galuf, get this thing ready to fly!"

 _ **It isn't your fault that you fight with a power mostly locked away in the depths of darkness.**_

For some reason Sora wasn't too bothered about not being able to breathe. The water was endlessly deep, the surface far away, but he was quite calm. It was oddly relaxing, sinking slowly in the quiet blueness.

 _ **The light you fight with is your own and that of your friends. But sometimes that light grows distant and shadows creep in.**_

Light, dark and his place in between. Did he have a place in between?

 _ **You walk the path of light but along the way you've struggled. Don't fret, anyone would.**_

He'd never really thought about the light he fought with. He just knew he did, just accepted that it was there within his heart. But of course, true light really was locked away in the depths of the darkness and that little bit of light he had within him…

 _ **Yes, it's begun to fade. But fear not, we shall make it bright once again as long as you realise…**_

Sora knew that lately he had been doing things in ways he'd never done it before. He got angry when before he would've just been upset or confused.

 _ **Of course, you are also a teenager. But this is more than that.**_

What had he forgotten about the light that was so important?

 _ **No, not the light.**_

The dark?

 _ **Think hard.**_

The dark. The greatest enemy they faced. The darkness spawned the Heartless. Something stirred in his heart and fluttered in his stomach. Was he afraid of it? No! No. No…

 _ **Don't be afraid to admit the truth.**_

Sora nodded. Yes, the darkness did scare him. He'd seen what it had done to Riku. He'd felt that horrible, cold, empty abyss when he'd become a Heartless, torn away from all that he knew and loved.

 _ **Fear can drive you as effectively as determination.**_

And that was when it hit him. He was so afraid of failing, so afraid of falling into darkness that he fought with everything he had any way he could. And it was that fear making him slip into the grey place.

 _ **Yes. Why be so afraid? You know what the darkness does. You know how to stop it. Why allow fear to consume you?**_

He had to stop. Sora knew that. Everything that had happened had taken him by surprise and he had fought on and on without stopping to give himself a moment to come to terms with it all. He never had. Maybe this falling had begun long ago when he'd first come into contact with the Keyblade. Back then people kept telling him about the light and kept telling him he was wielding a mighty power. But that had stopped.

 _ **Life is full of endings. But one end leads to something new.**_

What did that mean? Was he so weak he needed to rely on others? Maybe and then again maybe not. Being told you had power and having others believe in that power was comforting. But there came a point when he had to stop relying on others to tell him about himself.

 _ **Your heart is your own. How could anyone else know it better?**_

He knew that there was a light in the darkness and he would never forget that. But perhaps in his desperation to sort things out he'd just lost sight of a few guiding principles.

He shouldn't hate. They were misguided.

He could be angry. It was only human and anger focuses the mind.

He shouldn't kill. He wasn't all-powerful.

He shouldn't judge. Just because he was different from other people it didn't make him better.

If he had any darkness in his heart, it was only because light naturally casts a few shadows.

He would make more of an effort. His friends were his power but he could take care of himself. Besides, he would never be alone as long as they thought of him even if it was only for the briefest flicker of a moment.

He didn't need to be afraid of the forces he fought.

 _ **Who are you?**_

Sora.

 _ **What will you do?**_

Open the door to the light no matter how deep the darkness.

 _ **You accept your own darker side?**_

Yes. Light, dark and the place in between – it's all clear. Being who I am puts me between them. Being human puts me between them. There's no need to fear.

 _ **Take it. Hold out your hand. The other Key. There is no other to wield it but you. Light, Dark and you in between.**_

Sora felt himself rise up. He was thrown out of the water and he landed hard on something firm. He took a deep breath and looked around. The world was neither water nor green but icy rock instead. He was flat on his stomach. Behind him he could feel something shining, feel the warmth still clinging to him. He turned and watched as the Lifestream withdrew back into an immense crack in the ground.

 _ **We are ancient and endless. Our power is great but the Keyblades surpass us. And yet they respect our wisdom. Hold out your hands and call them. Your place rests between them. Never lose sight of the light. Never turn your back on the dark. You will bring back the ones we lost.**_

"Cloud?"

 _ **Yes. He was lost within us once but he faced his weaknesses as you have. And there was another, a woman who was sent to us after death. And yet the Keyblades called her spirit back and took her from us.**_

An image appeared in Sora's mind. "Aerith?" His heart clenched. "She died?"

 _ **Long ago. But she, Cloud and all the others…**_

More people appeared in Sora's mind – some he knew, some he did not.

… _ **together they saved us from a great evil.**_

Sora's eyes widened. "Sephiroth?"

 _ **Please, return them to us.**_

Sora wondered why they'd want Sephiroth. Aloud he answered with a simple "I will."

 _ **Your light and our wisdom will bring hope to many.**_

"Thank you."

A green light wrapped around his side. The dull ache of his wound finally faded completely. Sora lifted his clothes up. "You…"

 _ **Healed your body, yes. You will need all your strength.**_

Sora smiled gratefully at the green light. "Thank you."

 _ **Farewell young Master. We shall not meet again. You are not of our world, your life is not part of our flow. Farewell.**_

As the Lifestream drew away Sora held out his hands. Oblivion on the left and Oathkeeper on the right. His smile was huge. Two! He took a few practise swings and winced. He'd definitely need to work on using his left hand.

Wait…if he had two…

…what had happened to the King?

Another burst of light drew his attention away from the pair of Keyblades. He looked up. Snow was falling, dancing around as the Keyhole began to appear. Sora watched the shape trace itself in the air. But he was confused. Oathkeeper told him something was blocking the Keyhole. Oily light glimmered over the surface, blocking the Keyblade's access to the Keyhole beneath it. That could mean only one thing.

Sora looked up to the crater's rim and saw an army of Heartless – men, women and even children. All of them looked at him with their dead eyes before they began to descend towards him at astonishing raised both his Keyblades. There was no way they were going to beat him.

The first Heartless to attack was once a man clad only in beach shorts, tall and extremely muscled. But it was the first of many. As the male Heartless moved to punch Sora, at least ten others appeared behind it. Sora knew he'd have to move to stay alive. He also knew he'd have to clear all these Heartless before the Keyhole could be sealed. He understood now. The Keyhole was shielding itself from the Heartless. Was it the Lifestream's doing? Perhaps.

He took out the first Heartless with more ease than he expected. Oblivion smashed its head off. Sora didn't stop. He ran forward, Keyblades swinging up, down, left, right… The Heartless fell with the snow. They died with ease, blood coating Sora's wake. It wasn't nice to look at but there was no need to fear. Someday, when the light was freed from the darkness, all this would stop.

Sora didn't stop moving but his left arm was starting to ache. Gritting his teeth he pushed onwards, feet moving forward before jumping back and then twisting around to face those who came from behind. They would not win. He would never let them. He fell into a rhythm, his mind disconnecting from his body enough just to let everything flow. It was strange holding the two Keyblades but he stopped thinking about it and just made the Heartless fall.

But they kept coming. Men in uniforms, women in dresses, children in pyjamas: emotionless but intent on killing. There were growing numbers of odd looking creatures as well…monsters, all of them. Sora didn't stop cutting them down. He was sweating despite the snow. They weren't stopping. Had every Heartless on the entire world come for him?

He grinned savagely. "You won't get me."

He carried on moving, crossing the Keyblades over his chest to defend against another Heartless with a sword. He threw the soldier off and moved to hack it out of his way. Once that was done, Sora was encircled by a pack of wolves. They leapt as one. Sora raised both the Keyblades above his head, swinging them in opposite directions. He caught them all, sending them tumbling away with ghostly howls. But there was no time to move on. The Heartless kept coming and coming. Some of them were starting to get a little too close for comfort. He wondered briefly how Ars Arcanum would work with two Keyblades.

Then he found out.

The blows came the same, just from both hands. The Heartless fell like coconuts from the trees on Destiny Islands – one hit was all it took. Sora cleared another gap in the army. He finished the technique with a twisting somersault, Oblivion leading but Oathkeeper coming up as soon as the other Keyblade was out the way. He couldn't help but let out a whoop of euphoria. This was so cool!

Sora focused again, pushing his glee away. The Heartless around him would not stop for him to celebrate. He could hold out for now…

…but if he didn't come up with a plan soon he was definitely in trouble.

"Kairi. There's something I need to ask you."

Kairi looked over and saw Cloud appear. She had come to the top of the Gizmo Shop an hour ago to get some quiet time alone. She sat with her legs poking over the edge, just as she had when she'd come up here with Sora… Oh, but those thoughts weren't the kind she was meant to be thinking.

"What is it?"

The blond warrior walked over and sat down next to Kairi. "You come from Hollow Bastion yes?"

She nodded. "I think so. I don't remember much but I know my grandmother told me a story in the library. After that…everything I know is on Destiny Islands." Kairi looked at him in confusion. "Why do you want to know?"

Cloud rested his chin on his hands. "I left Hollow Bastion many years ago but before that my memories tell me I had lived my entire life there. And yet…I have no recollection of you. More than that, none of the others do either." His startlingly blue eyes locked onto hers. "The others try not to think about it but I know something isn't right." He tapped the side of his head. "My memories aren't as they should be."

"But who could change all your memories? And why?"

Cloud shrugged, a gesture some considered an innate personality trait. "I don't know. But memories, fake ones, are something I'm very familiar with. I know what its like to live an illusion. But what I remember from my life on Hollow Bastion just doesn't seem important enough for me to feel so strongly."

Again Kairi felt somehow honoured and overjoyed that Cloud spoke to her so much. Did she have a crush? No. Her heart belonged to only one. But Cloud was pretty amazing… how he used that massive sword was beyond her. "Could it have been Ansem?"

"Maybe. He's the one who sent you away?"

"Yeah, I think so. I mean… Sora found a report of his that mentioned a girl." Kairi looked down at her feet. "I think it was me."

"But why change our memories? It seems stupid."

Kairi didn't know so she didn't speak.

"You won't tell the others about this?"

"Not if you don't want me to."

Cloud stood up. "I'll look into it. Something's missing, I'm sure of it."

Kairi stood with him. "I hope you find it."

Together they left the Gizmo Shop and made their slow way back to the Small House. The Heartless still refused to attack but their wispy bodies still posed a deadly threat.

"Maybe someday we'll find out the answers to all these mysteries," Kairi said, slamming her hammer into a Heartless and clearing it out of her way. "There's a reason for everything isn't there?"

Cloud pushed the Third District door open. "I hope so."

"There!" Tifa pointed down. Everyone onboard the ship looked at the screen. "That's him!" She cursed. "Galuf get us down there!"

"On it. Get to the hatch!"

Red and Barret were close behind her as Tifa ran off the bridge. Yuna stayed back, knowing she wouldn't be allowed to help. Galuf got the ship as low to the ground as he could and then the others jumped off, landing beside Sora.

"Nice of you to drop by," he said with a breathless grin before heading back into the thick of the Heartless.

"Oiy, wait a minute!" Barret yelled, shooting a few soldiers back. "Since when didya…"

"…have two Keyblades?" Red burst in. "Amazing!"

"This isn't the time for amazement Red!" Tifa yelled before summoning Big Guard out of the Enemy Skill materia. Barriers wrapped around the four and their movements became faster. "We've got to get out of here!"

"No, I have to seal the world first!" Sora called back, slicing through another two Heartless. "But I can't do that until all these Heartless are gone."

Barret shot a Heartless woman through the head. It fell back and another three sprung up. "And how the hell are we gonna do that?"

"Didn't you use Ultima before?" Red called to Sora. "Can't you do that again?"

"I did but the Lifestream made it more powerful. I can't do that again. I need to fight not get all spaced out."

Sora tapped into his abilities and decided to give Strike Raid a go. He threw Oathkeeper first. Oblivion followed a few seconds later. His speed had doubled. Heartless fell one after another, dead after a single hit. It was like juggling. One Keyblade waited in his hand while the other bulldozed through the Heartless. Sora couldn't help but grin. Two were definitely better than one!

Tifa cast Aqualung followed closely by Beta. But even as they cleared hundreds of the Heartless, double that replaced them. People who'd lost their heart were coming. There weren't thousands. There were millions of them and every Heartless, no matter where they were on the planet, was coming to the Northern Crater. The presence of the Keyblades threatened to drive them mad with fear. Kill the Master. Destroy him. Take the power away. Their collective fear screamed out, their silence merely a mask. The Heartless' power combined and they called out the deadliest ghost.

"I will become one with this planet."

Tifa froze first. Her eyes went wide, the shock making her stutter. "N-no."

"The time…the time has come."

Red turned. "It can't be!"

"The planet will be reborn! It is my birth right!"

Barret's gun fell silent. He let out a stream of foul words.

"I will become a god."

The Heartless began to back away, shuffling as if in the presence of an almighty leader.

Sora looked over his shoulder. He knew who it was.

"Sephiroth."


	40. Chapter 40

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Forty

"You know him too?" Red spluttered. "How?"

Sora didn't take his eyes of the silver-haired warrior. "Oh…he was at the Coliseum a while ago. We fought. He owned the first few times but I got him in the end."

Sephiroth regarded the group with aloft detachment. He didn't seem to care who they were despite three of them having stopped him from being reborn as a god. But Sephiroth didn't pause any longer to give them time to ponder his reappearance. Crouching ever so slightly the warrior reached out, the Masamune slashing through the air. Sora jumped back in time to avoid being hacked in two. There was no time for relief. As soon as he landed Sora pushed forward, the Keyblades up and ready for a fight. Sephiroth dodged both Sora's attacks with an arrogant tilt to his lips, preparing to slash out once again with his thin blade. Sora high jumped over it and closed the distance between himself and Sephiroth. Oathkeeper leading, Sora aimed for the man's head.

Red had hung back. A yellow glow broke out from around him. "Something's odd!" He yelled. "The Scan Materia insists that's not a person."

Oblivion came at Sephiroth from below but somehow his body slid around it. Sora blinked, not sure he could believe what his eyes were telling him. For a moment Sephiroth was solid and then, as though he were water, he melted and shifted out the way. Solid again, Sephiroth appeared behind Sora. The boy swung himself around and managed to hook the Masamune on Oathkeeper's jagged tip. Barret shot off a few rounds to get Sephiroth's attention, giving Sora time to pull his weapons back and demand an explanation from Red.

"What is this thing?"

Red looked grim. "I think… could this Sephiroth be a ghost?"

"A ghost?" Sora looked at Sephiroth intently before jumping out the way to avoid his sword. "That explains why he can move like water. But how is that…"

Tifa cast Trine out of the Enemy Skill material, the electrical spell trapping Sephiroth in a pyramid briefly. "The Heartless summon ghosts of the past. That's all this is." She sounded relieved. "Not human and not Heartless, just a ghost."

"Pretty damn solid for a ghost," Barret muttered. "Well…sorta."

"So how do we beat it?" Sora asked.

Before he could hear the answer, Sephiroth made his move. Silver hair trailing in the air behind him, the warrior lunged forward. Sora thought fast, limbs moving before his brain finished deciding what was to be done. Sora shot forwards, speed doubled with Sonic Blade. Oathkeeper pierced Sephiroth's torso but again his body bent out the way and when the man solidified he was free of injury. Each blow had the same result. Both Oathkeeper and Oblivion seemed useless. It was futile. Sephiroth was not the same enemy Sora had fought in the Coliseum. This one…

…This Sephiroth was even less human than the last.

"If it's a ghost it shouldn't be able to hurt us…" Tifa didn't sound very certain.

Sephiroth laughed, the sound tottering towards maniacal. "Foolish! I have travelled the Lifestream and learned things you cannot begin to imagine. You cannot beat me!"

An idea flashed through Sora's mind, pushing Sephiroth's boast out of his thoughts. He attacked Sephiroth with a cross-slash, the move aimed to distract not to harm. The moment Sephiroth's body turned into that strange, watery substance, Sora thrust both Keyblades into Sephiroth's wavering body and cast Blizzaga. The reaction exactly what Sora had hoped for. Thick frost crept up over Sephiroth's body, crystallising everything that wasn't solid. Sora felt relief building up inside him. For a minute there he'd thought they were in serious trouble.

"Sora…"

Why did Red still sound so grim?

The ice cracked.

Sora knew what was coming. He managed to keep his grip on the Keyblades firm.

"…that…"

Water punched him and Sora went sailing through the air, crashing into rock. The snow didn't do much to soften the blow. Sora pushed himself back up, gritting his teeth against the various aches.

"…won't work."

"Yeah, I get that Red," Sora shot back.

Barret fired a few more rounds but their effect was nil. Sephiroth looked at the group as though they were little more than flecks of snow obscuring his vision. Sora gazed back at him for a moment longer before casting his eyes to the Heartless. Nothing. They were a captivated audience, watching Sephiroth with dull eyes and no reaction. Yet they certainly seemed to hold some kind of respect for the domineering warrior. A few gears shifted in Sora's head. The Heartless summoned ghosts of the past. He'd seen it in Agrabah too in the Cave of Wonders - that odd procession of priests and priestesses. And what about Traverse Town? Hadn't there been ghosts there as well? Ghosts…Heartless… Sora's blue eyes widened as his thoughts hit an answer. Was that it?

The only warning Sora had was the odd sound as the Masamune ripped through the air, coming for him out of nowhere. It slashed across his chest, tearing easily through his jacket but thankfully not reaching skin. Sora didn't waste another moment. He parried a second blow with Oblivion, staying low to the ground as he yelled to the others. "It's not Sephiroth we have to take out! It's them, the Heartless! They're the ones that brought him here!" He rolled to the right and sprung to his feet. Sephiroth held a hand out, preparing a spell. "You guys go for them! I'll keep our ghost busy." He reached into his pocket and pulled Ultima out, tossing it to Barret. "Just get rid of them all! If the Heartless are gone they'll be nothing left to keep Sephiroth here!"

Barret caught the materia in his good hand. "Gotcha!"

Sora didn't waste any time making sure the others made a good job of wiping out the Heartless. He turned straight back to Sephiroth, Keyblades swinging up in a double Ars Arcanum. He didn't need to hurt Sephiroth, just keep the warrior occupied long enough for the Heartless to be cleared. Sephiroth took hits but remained utterly unfazed. He didn't even attempt to block Sora's attack even though it stopped him from casting magic. He didn't need to. When Sora was done, Sephiroth struck. The man didn't need to move much. His sword had a massive reach. He leaned forward, the Masamune lancing out. Sora jumped back but the sword didn't stop. The boy fell to the ground, scrambling backwards to avoid skewering. He rolled onto his shoulders, kicking the blade away before flipping to his feet. Behind him, Sora heard Bahamut roar to life but he couldn't stop to see. Sephiroth was moving now, his sword swinging down from behind his shoulder. Sora knew he couldn't move out of the sword's range fast enough. He planted his feet and swung the Keyblades up. He caught the Masamune above his head but Sora hadn't thought beyond saving himself from being hacked in two. Sephiroth was bigger and far stronger even if he was a mere spirit. When he began pushing all his weight onto Sora the boy couldn't hold him off, not even with both the Keyblades. There was a brief moment when Sephiroth pulled back. Sora grabbed the opportunity, not sensing the deception. As he pulled the Keyblades free Sephiroth finished his blow. Sora earned himself a stinging gash across the front of his body. Sora winced as the icy air dug into the wound. He stumbled back but he had no time to cast Curaga. Sephiroth had the upper hand and he pressed it for all it was worth. Sora didn't get another chance to take the offensive. Trusting his feet to land well, he dodged attacks from every angle. Fearing what would happen if Sephiroth triumphed, Sora made an opening. He did have two Keyblades after all.

Using Strike Raid to throw Oblivion, Sora caught Sephiroth's slim blade on Oathkeeper. The black Keyblade clouted Sephiroth's smug face but, as expected, the warrior's body changed and Oblivion caused no harm. But it had created an opportunity for Sora to regain the advantage. For that brief moment Sephiroth's attention was elsewhere, Sora caught Oblivion and used it alongside Oathkeeper to throw the sword away. It gave him a chance to cast Curaga, the sharp ache of the cut across his chest finally dimming. But then he ran at Sephiroth, somersaulting sideways over the Masamune's next blow and leaping into the air, swinging Oathkeeper around before landing a blow on Sephiroth's right shoulder. Sora was about to bring Oblivion down but he found himself sinking. Sephiroth's body became like liquid once again and the Oathkeeper fell into it. He tried to use Blizzaga again but Sephiroth was wise to such an attack and shifted sideways, leaving Sora to fall to the ground. He pushed himself to his feet just as Sephiroth leaped into the air, holding his sword in a deadly straight vertical line. The blade became invisible when it didn't catch the light but Sora didn't stay still to try and pick out its location. He jumped back before letting Ragnarok carry him into the air. Sword and Keyblades met, Sephiroth matching Sora blow for blow. As Ragnarok's beams shot out of Oathkeeper Sora found himself wondering how the hell he'd beaten Sephiroth before.

If Sora was beginning to have doubts, Sephiroth's next move cemented them in his mind. Just as Sora fell back to the ground the Masamune appeared out of nowhere, harsh light gleaming a bright sliver off its thin edge. It cut across his hands and both the Keyblades fell, Sora's fingers coated in blood. He landed hard, the pain doubling as his hands smacked into the rocky ground. Thankfully nothing had been cut off but the gashes were deep and the blood relentless. The Keyblades were too far away to grab quickly and Sephiroth was already coming back, seemingly assured of victory. No, Sora wouldn't allow himself to die here. He needed something, a spell, something powerful.

Ultima… But he didn't have the materia any more.

Although perhaps he'd be able to…

Sora closed his eyes. The current of magic Donald had awoken so long ago flowed in his heart, glowing brightly. Ultima had been summoned by it. The spell had left its mark. The materia…did he still need it?

No. The magic was imprinted within him.

Aiming his bloody hands at Sephiroth, Sora summoned Ultima. The spell screamed into life, exploding out of his hands. Its range without the materia wasn't so spectacular and Sora's aim was a little off but Sephiroth and several Heartless took the full force of the spell. There came another distinctive screech as Barret used the Ultima materia. The magic didn't stop. Tifa called Bahamut again and Red took the Enemy Skill materia from her and shot out spell after spell. Colour obliterated the Heartless.

Sora was spent. Ultima still took all his magical energy even if it no longer left him dazed. But Sephiroth was down, his unreal body shimmering madly as it absorbed the power of Ultima and whatever other spells had been cast on him. Sora ignored the pain in his hands and ran to grab the Keyblades.

"We're almost there!" Tifa yelled. "Hold him off just a little longer Sora!"

Blood trickled over the Keyblades as Sora ran back to Sephiroth. He slashed at the ghost again and again, faster and faster, not allowing the body to solidify once again. But a hand, formed out of liquid, shot out and grabbed Sora by the neck. The others didn't notice; they were too busy destroying what was left of the Heartless. Sora's feet kicked in the air but he was too short to reach Sephiroth. The Keyblades rested uselessly on the ground. Sephiroth was solid once again, a wildly insane look in his eyes as he crushed Sora's throat. The pain was horrible. Sephiroth was going to break his neck.

"…Valefor now! Sonic Wings!"

Sora's eyes widened as the wind tore through Northern Crater. It was the same as Halloween Town. He almost laughed…well…he managed a choke at least. He knew that Valefor toy had more going on beneath the plushie surface. The wind ripped through the Heartless. The strength fled from Sephiroth's body. Sora hit the ground, coughing air into his lungs. He rolled onto his back and looked up to the ship. What he saw he couldn't quite believe.

"Yuna?" he tried to call out but only managed a rasp.

Yuna stood on the ship's ramp, obscured slightly by the weak sunlight. But the little girl…

Yuna wasn't a little girl. She was tall enough to be a young woman, probably older than Sora. Even her clothes had changed – long robes flowed in the gusts. Sora squinted but he couldn't make out her features at all. He didn't doubt it was Yuna though – there had been something in the voice that belonged to her, a gentle power that was unique to the girl. But how had she aged so much?

Valefor obeyed her command, destroying the Heartless with huge gusts of wind. Sora watched in amazement as the massive creature soared through the air, graceful despite its size. The boy turned back to Yuna but whatever he had seen was all gone. Yuna was back to her normal, tiny self. Valefor swung back to the ship and disappeared. Sora looked at the others but not one seemed to have noticed. All of them were too busy celebrating. The Heartless – and their ghost of Sephiroth – were all gone. Sora retrieved the Keyblades again and rubbed his sore neck. Yeah, he was gonna have a few bruises all right.

A light shone and Sora looked in time to see the barrier around the Keyhole disperse. Dismissing Oblivion, Sora aimed Oathkeeper at the Keyhole. A frozen world… Would sealing the Keyhole be easy?

Light shot out the Keyblade's tip. Sora's breath caught in his throat. He could feel the world's heart tugging at his own, like a child wanting a parent's protection, desperate to be made safe from the Heartless. His own energy joined with the Keyblade, just as it had on Brighthelmston. Oathkeeper grew warm in his hands as it began to glow with its own energy and the power it drew from Sora. Slowly the Keyhole began to react, spitting life out into the world. For a moment Sora didn't notice anything. Then, as if someone had pulled a blanket off his head, all the colours of the world ignited. They began to separate, pulling out of one another to create new shapes. Sora laughed in amazement. He was flying. He could see the entire world changing. He was everywhere. He could see everything. The snow began to melt and ceased to drift lazily out the sky over Northern Crater. The rain finally stopped falling over the rest of the world. The planet seemed to heave a sigh. For a moment everything was still. Sora managed to catch his breath. Then light blasted out of the Keyhole just as it sealed. The bright ribbons, green and sparkling like the Lifestream, brought life back to the world. Plants shot out the ground, flowers of every colour burst open like fireworks and trees leapt for the skies as their renewed branches reached out. Water flowed over rocks. The sea was restocked with fish. Insects buzzed. Birds sang. Wildlife crept out from the ground. Warmth was back in the air. The world that had been crying finally started to laugh joyfully. The time had come to live again. Yes, it was going to be a beautiful day.

Oathkeeper fizzled away and Sora slumped to his knees. Breathing hard, he fought off the urge to lie down. "Whoa." He blinked the images out of his vision and eventually his brain accepted he hadn't left Northern Crater. Sora took a few seconds before attempting to stand and when he did so his balance was a little precarious. He left bloody handprints on the ground and belatedly noted he needed to clean himself up a little. But it all seemed so unimportant when around him the world around him shimmered with its regained life. Grass and shy flowers were poking out of the rocky crater. Sora took a few steps forward, his legs trembling ever so slightly as Tifa, Red and Barret ran over to him.

"Is it sealed?" Red asked excitedly.

Sora nodded. "Yeah. This world is safe again."

Tifa threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. "Thank you!" She said, tears of joy splashing down her cheeks. "Thank you so much!"

Sora's cheeks went bright red. "Uh, yeah but I didn't do it alone and if Yuna hadn't summoned Valefor I…"

"Summoned Valefor?" Red asked. "What are you talking about?"

Sora shot the four-legged creature a dark look. "I really hate it when you say that."

The ship landed behind them. Sora turned to the ramp, hoping Yuna would clarify a few things. But when he looked he found the little girl in a heap. Sora ran to her side. Picking up Valefor, the soft toy utterly still once more, Sora tucked it into his jacket before returning his attention to the girl. He lifted her up slightly, shaking her carefully. "Yuna?"

Her eyes lifted slightly. "Sora." A tired smile appeared on her face. "Did you see Valefor?"

He nodded. "Yeah, he saved us. It was amazing. How did you do it?"

"I don't know. I just…did." Her eyes closed again. "I'm glad I could help." She sighed peacefully. "It felt very odd though." And then she slept, leaving Sora to ponder the meaning of her words.

The group walked to the bridge, Yuna tucked safely in Sora's arms. Red walked alongside the boy, deep in thought. As Galuf and Tifa got the ship back into orbit, Sora nudged his friend with his foot. "What's wrong?"

"You need to tell Tifa."

Sora cocked his head. "About what?"

"Yes, what does Sora need to tell me?" Tifa asked, walking over from the navigation equipment.

Galuf walked over and plucked Yuna from Sora's arms. "I'll take her to her room," he said, walking off the bridge.

Sora looked at Red, Barret and then Tifa. He nodded. "You're right. There's something I need to tell you. I… Wow this is gonna sound weird. Um…when I was in the Lifestream it showed me some people from this world. People…people I know and you know."

Tifa's eyes began to grow wide. "Go on." Her voice trembled.

He didn't beat around the bush. "Cloud. I know Cloud."

Tifa's gasp ricocheted around the bridge. Her eyes swam with tears. Her knees refused to hold her and she sank to the ground. "You…you know where he is?"

"Yeah, I do. I know where Aerith, Cid and Yuffie are too. Oh, and Leon too but I don't think you know him."

Tifa looked giddy. She threw her hands out to steady herself on the ground. Even Red and Barret looked ready to hit the deck from shock.

"How?" she breathed. "How do you know them? Where are they?"

"That's just it. Last time I saw Cloud he was at the Coliseum and the others were all on Hollow Bastion. I even asked Zidane about them but he didn't know who I was talking about." Sora looked troubled. "It doesn't make sense. Why aren't they here too?"

"He's alive." Tears were flowing down Tifa's cheeks. "All of them…and Aerith!"

"The Lifestream told me she'd died," Sora said, feeling a little uncomfortable to be digging up other people's bad memories. "But she seemed fine. I don't understand."

Barret said nothing. He walked away, standing at the bridge's far end and looking out to the world below. He remained silent, standing there and listening to the others without a comment.

"Where do you come from Sora?" Red asked, shaking his head. "You come from Destiny Islands and you've been to all these worlds yet to you these places have all changed. How can that be?"

"I don't know."

"I don't care. As long as Cloud and the others are…" But Tifa's emotions stole her voice and she broke down into more sobbing.

Sora crouched down and smiled at Tifa. "We'll figure it out somehow and then you can see them all again."

Tifa reached up and pulled him into her arms again. "You have no idea how happy this makes me."

"Then why are you crying?"

"Silly boy!" she managed a shaky giggle, resting her head on his shoulder. "These are happy tears!" She grabbed fistfuls of his jacket. "Really happy," she hiccupped.

Sora gave a melodramatic sigh. "Girls are weird."

Tifa poked him. "Oh and since when are you so grown up to make such remarks?"

"Don't need to be grown up, guys just know."

Barret laughed aloud from the far end of the bridge. "Never has a truer thing been spoken kid!"

Sora grinned and Tifa pulled back, wiping at her tears. Sora stood up first, stretching and yawning. "So, where to?"

Tifa walked to stand with Barret. "Zidane's world of course." She looked down on her own home. "It's so beautiful from up here."

"Jes' like it should be," Barret mused.

Red walked over and looked as well. "Yes, it's marvellous."

"And soon everyone will return, right?" Tifa asked.

"Right," Red and Barret answered.

Deciding the three of them needed time alone to talk, Sora left the bridge. Looking down at his hands he was relieved to see the bleeding had stopped and the gashes, twin slices across the back of both, didn't appear to be too deep. The cut across his chest had been sorted with Curaga and now all that remained was a red line where the wound had once been. Sora sighed. Another set of clothes ruined. He walked down to the kitchen, washed the dried blood off carefully and easily wrapped them in bandages originally meant for his side. Taking his ruined jacket and jumper off, Sora dumped them in the waste disposal before rummaging through the pile of clothes someone had dug up out of somewhere on the ship for him. Eventually he managed to find a slightly too big red t-shirt with white writing splayed over the back (something about a bar called Turtle's Paradise) and after tugging it over his head Sora went to see Yuna. The door to her room was open and Galuf sat by her bed as she slept.

"Is she okay?" Sora asked quietly.

"Exhausted. What did she do?"

"It'll sound crazy but she summoned Valefor." He left out the whole 'oh and she aged several years in a single moment' part of the tale. "She saved us all."

Galuf stroked his beard thoughtfully. "She was on the bridge with me one minute and the next she's running off yelling something about helping you all. I couldn't stop her 'cause I had to keep the ship flying but whatever she did it was powerful. The scans picked up massive amounts of energy. But Sora, I didn't see anything!"

"The others didn't either. I don't understand. How could you not see Valefor? It's a huge…bird…dragon…thing. It flew all around and caused the wind. Yuna named an attack I think…. Sonic…Sonic Wings?" He reached over and plucked the soft toy off the bed. "There's something inside this plushie. Something powerful. Maybe Yuna remembered somehow and summoned it to help us."

"Maybe. We'll ask her when she wakes up." The old man stood up, his bones popping as he stretched. "You stay with her. I'd better get this ship moving."

Sora took Galuf's seat. He watched Yuna but the little girl was out for the count. His eyes shifted to the toy in his hands. He grinned. "Aha I knew it! I told you I knew you were in there!" Sora spoke smugly to the lifeless eyes of Valefor. "I'll figure it all out later." He poked the toy. "You can't fool me, I'm…"

 _Ah, there you are. Clever world, shielding your presence from me. Have you missed our chats?_

Sora's grin faded. Valefor dropped into his lap. His face grew shadowed. "You…"

 _Yes, me. I know where you're going. I'm sending someone there too. After all, your tailed friend would make a perfect puppet._

"Leave Zidane alone."


	41. Chapter 41

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Forty-One

Hours went by. Yuna didn't stir. At some point Sora had yanked his boots off, flopped forward onto the bed and drifted off. Tifa smiled as she draped a blanket over him. "Oh isn't it cute?" she giggled. "Like a big brother watching over his baby sister."

"Less watching more snoring," Red commented from the doorway.

"I suppose it's hard sealing a Keyhole," Tifa commented, brushing back a few strands of her long hair. "I never really thought about it before."

"I imagine the toll is higher when the world is frozen."

Tifa nodded as she returned to Red's side. "What did he mean when he said Yuna summoned Valefor? I didn't notice anything."

"Oh I don't want to ponder the meaning of Sora's random observations right now," Red sighed as they walked back out the room. "It's really too much effort," he added with a wide yawn.

Tifa smirked down at him. "Oh? Even the mystery of Sora having two Keyblades doesn't intrigue you?"

"Oh I'm intrigued. I'm also tired. I wish to sleep." Red turned to mosey down to his own room. "I shall commit hours of pondering to it all later. I'll have the time won't I? We won't arrive at Zidane's world until sometime tomorrow."

"True, true," Tifa admitted. "We'll have to set up that warp drive we picked up on Atlantica soon. We didn't really have a chance before. I wanted to get moving and our home was hardly the right place to land and sort things out. Perhaps after we've found Zidane we can find a safe world and install it." She stretched her arms over her head. "Anyway, I think I'll get some sleep too. Barret and Galuf insist they've got everything under control."

"Tifa, there's one more thing."

"Yes?"

"Sora…he doesn't know about Reina."

Tifa came to a stop, arms held bent in the air. Her expression was one of sadness. "I'll tell him later. I'd just forgotten after everything that's been happening. My mind has been on other things." A tiny smile appeared on her face and, tempered as it was by sorrow, there was still deep joy in the expression.

"Better we tell him before he asks where she is."

"Yeah."

The silence was tense but Red was in a hurry to break it. "Well, I'm off to sleep. Wake me in several hours."

"And I was about to ask you the same thing."

"Ha. Whoever's up first can wake the other, fair?"

"Yeah. Night."

"Morning."

"Whatever!"

 _Standing on the ice. So cold. Body feels like it'll never move again. Bones creak. Hurts. All around it's frozen. The lake…_

 _No, wait._

 _He looked up. Where…where's the castle? Gone… So wait a minute. The water… He looked again. No, it's not a lake._

 _Sea. The sea has turned to ice._

 _Then… does that mean…?_

 _He ran forward. He didn't want to believe it. The ice below his feet was ridged, formed out of waves. No. No. Back to the castle… That made sense now. This place…this place was…_

 _Home._

 _He came to a standstill just before he reached the snow-covered beach. Ha, step forward could he do it? Could he really go back there? He wasn't the same any more. Going back there and living a quiet life would be so odd after everything he'd done and everything he'd seen._

 _Then again, his home looked pretty different too._

 _He stumbled onto the beach, snow crunching beneath his feet. Why? Why was it all frozen? Why had it all changed? Why was it like this? It was a frozen world like so many others. Icicles hung off the palm trees. The waterfall was like a beautiful carving that had seized a moment of time and never let it go. Snow covered the bright colours. Everything was white and grey._

 _And where was she?_

 _He called out her name. Silence. But the light began to fade. The snow turned a dull grey as the light fled from its crystalline surface. Stop. Stop! He wouldn't be able to see…_

 _There was something behind him. No. Something was coming out the Secret Place. There was another sneaking out of the hut. And someone's screaming for him, screaming for help. But where was she? She wouldn't answer him._

 _He stepped forward. They ripped into him. Three Heartless. He fell backwards, cushioned by the snow and the sand. The screaming faded away, replaced by the sounds of his harsh breathing. Three figures stood over him. Heartless. His blue eyes widened as he gazed upwards. Someone screamed his name. He couldn't get up. His heart…there were hands in his chest. He couldn't find her._

 _And if…_

 _So. Dark._

… _he lost…_

 _Hurts._

… _her…_

 _No. Cold. So. Cold._

… _he would…_

 _Fading. Away._

… _die._

 _ **Wake up!**_

Sora came awake with a jerk, thoughts racing despite his sluggish body. Instinctively his hands flew to his chest, finding his heart pounding within. Relief flushed through him as sleep slipped away. What had that been? A dream…but different from the last. His breath shook out of him as he sat up straight. A blanket slipped off his shoulders. He shivered in the cold. All the ship's lights had been dimmed. A false night had been created. Everything seemed so quiet. Yuna had rolled onto her side, Valefor clutched in her hands. Not wanting to risk further sleep, the dream had left him decidedly unsettled, Sora stood and left the room.

He had never, ever, dreamt of home. Only childhood memories and Alice had conjured up that place for him. Even on the nights when his homesickness had been like a punch to the stomach and he'd curled up tightly on his side to hide himself from everything, Sora had never once seen Destiny Islands in his dreams. Now that he had he wished he hadn't. What had it meant? He rubbed his face with tired hands. No, he didn't want to think about it right now. Instead he went into the kitchen and found himself a bottle of water. He looked around as he gulped the cool liquid, noticing the place still looked like it was his bedroom. For a moment he toyed with the idea of hiding beneath the blankets on the work surface but the dream flashed back through his mind and Sora decided a stint on the bridge would be a better idea.

When he got there he found Galuf snoring at the helm. Barret was still awake, looking over some maps towards the rear of the bridge. The big man looked up when he heard Sora approach. "Ain't it past yer bedtime?" Barret asked jokingly.

Sora gave a small smile in return. "I woke up."

"Bad dreams eh?"

Sora sat down on the tabletop. "Yeah, you could say that."

To Sora's complete surprise Barret's good hand landed atop his head and ruffled his hair. "Ya know kid, when my daughter has bad dreams I usually give her hot chocolate. Sends her off without a worry."

Sora looked up at the man in surprise. "You have a daughter?"

"Yup. Name's Marlene. She's safe 'n sound on Atlantica. I sent 'er there a while ago – before you came along. I see 'er as much as I can. She's friend's wiv Yuna. Man, the two've them'll get up to mischief if they're teenagers t'gever."

"People used to say that about me and Riku." The words were out before Sora could stop himself.

Barret laughed. "Yeah I can imagine that."

Sora smiled, the expression a little forced. He didn't allow himself to linger in the past any longer. "So will we be at Zidane's world soon?"

Barret played along. "Yeah we will. Got a lotta territory to cover. Ain't gonna be easy. An' Tifa wants to get the warp fitted."

"Oh, we finally got one of those?"

"Yeah. We just ain't found the right moment to set it up."

Sora leaned back, yawning before continuing. "I'll make time. There's no way I can stand being cooped up here for days on end when we return to Atlantica."

"I reckon it'd only be fair on the rest've us if ya had to. Y'slept through most of it the las' time."

Sora's hands slid a little more across the desk. He was almost lying down. "Sorry."

"Eh, least ya didn't snore."

Before he could resist the urge Sora was flat on the table. "What would you've done if I did?"

"Plied ya with sugar and not let ya slept kid!"

"Thanks."

It was strange, Sora thought, being on the bridge when it was meant to be the middle of the night. The lights were dimmed and there was an odd twilight feel to the ship. Everything hummed calmly but it didn't disturb him. Another yawn hit him. He didn't want to sleep but it felt as though someone had placed a bar across his forehead and that bar was pushing his eyelids down. His lungs drew in another great yawn. Sora looked around with half-closed eyes. The lights all blurred together through his eyelashes. He made a sound that could've almost been a laugh. Odd little shapes flitted through his hazy, sleep-drenched vision. So strange. What did it make him think of, that odd orangey yellow blaze? Sunsets over the sea? The lights shining all around Traverse Town? The pumpkins in Halloween Town?

The hunger in the eyes of the Heartless?

The blur was gone. Bright lights replaced it. A fake daytime. Sora found himself curled on his side, head resting on one arm. Feeling a little confused, Sora pushed himself up. He was still on the bridge. A grey blanket had been thrown over him.

"You awake?"

Sora looked over and saw Barret grinning at him from the helm. Galuf had disappeared. Sora scratched the back of his head and gave a sheepish grin. "I didn't realise I'd fallen asleep."

"Kid you were out like a light. Even Galuf falling off his chair didn't wake ya. Y'sleep like the dead!"

Sora got to his feet. "Thanks… I think."

He walked up to the front of the ship and looked out to the space beyond. Nothing but stars sped by. He wondered how long it would be before they hit Zidane's world but didn't bother asking. He had to think of what to do when they got there. A world was a big place to get lost in. Did anyone know where to start? Sora remembered the castle he'd seen with the sword standing out of it. That seemed like the only lead they had. But… what if Zidane wasn't there? What if he wasn't even on his old world? What did they do then?

Barret grunted. "That's odd."

Sora stirred out of his musings. "What is it?"

"I'm pickin' up a ship…closin' in from behind."

A second after the words were out of Barret's mouth the other ship was alongside them. It was small – big enough only for one or two people...three at a push. The cockpit at the front was all glass. Sora squinted, trying to see who was at the helm.

 _Like you don't know._

"…Riku..."

… _if you get the chance…_

"Your old friend?"

… _I would very much like you to kill me._

"He's going after Zidane."

Barret didn't know what to say so he remained silent. Sora didn't know what to do so he stood exactly where he was and watched the stars fly by. They had to get to Zidane first. Sora had to help Riku. There had to be a way of ending some of the madness.

"We'll be there within an hour," Barret called over. "Better get ready to go."

"Are the others up?"

"Dunno."

Sora looked down at himself. He was going to need his shoes. Mumbling something about finding them Sora left the bridge and made his way back down to Yuna's room. The girl was still asleep. Stepping into the room, Sora felt a breeze against his skin. Confused, he looked around. His eyes landed on Valefor.

"Hm."

Sora closed the door quietly and edged towards the toy that had fallen from Yuna's hands. He reached out to pick it up. The wind starting howling. Stumbling back, Sora threw his arms up to protect himself from objects caught up in the gusts. As suddenly as it rose up, the wind was gone. Sora risked a peek over his arms. What he saw he hadn't been expecting. Valefor perched beside Yuna's bed. Sora's eyes went wide. A very satisfied grin appeared on his face. "Ha, you came out!"

Valefor's eyes shifted to Sora. "Boy, we have little time for your amazement." The Aeon's voice echoed in his mind. Strange.

Sora was instantly sobered. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"She is fading."

Sora was at Yuna's side in an instant. "No…no you're wrong. Yuna?" He shook her. "Yuna wake up!" She didn't respond. Her body was frighteningly cold beneath his hands. He pulled her into his arms. "What's wrong with her?"

"There isn't much time but you can save her."

"How?"

"Bring her home. Home to Besaid. In the Temple I can end the drain and form a proper bond with her."

Sora shook his head, his arms tightening around Yuna. "I don't understand what you mean."

"Her father created a temporary link between myself and Yuna. The toy was the physical representation. I would come whenever she was in grave danger. But somehow she summoned me and the energy it takes is immense, especially when the distance between us is great. Now I have formed an incomplete bond with her. If you do not return her to the Temple on Besaid and allow us to form a proper connection she will die of exhaustion."

"No she won't. I won't let her just die. She saved us!" He looked up at Valefor. "How long do we have?"

"A few days. Perhaps a week. But any longer than that and she will die."

"I'll save her. Somehow we'll find Zidane and get to her world in time."

"I believe in you."

As Valefor faded away, a soft wind embraced boy and girl. Yuna stirred ever so slightly. Unable to open her eyes, she managed to pull her voice out of sleep. "I believe in you too."

He embraced her tightly. "I promise you're going to be fine. No matter what it takes."

The wind stilled and Yuna succumbed to her exhaustion. The little girl was still in his arms when someone entered the room. Sora looked over and found Tifa. "Is everything alright?" she asked. "How's Yuna this morning?"

Sora reached down and picked up the blanket. "Not good. She's in danger." He quickly explained the situation. "We'll be cutting it close but I think we can do it all." His hand rested on the girl's cheek. "She's cold," he murmured.

Tifa looked serious, her mind going over strategies to keep the worry at bay. "With the warp fitted we'll be able to get to Yuna's world Spira in a matter of minutes. We could bypass Zidane's world and come back for him but Barret said we've picked up a tail."

"Yeah. Looks like Ansem's sent someone to pick Zidane up. We can't let that happen." Sora looked down at Yuna. Her skin was starting to grow pale. "She'll make it. I know she will."

"We're coming up on Zidane's world now. It looks a little better off than my world was but I imagine the Heartless there are strong. Do you know where to look first?"

Sora tucked Yuna back into bed, making sure Valefor rested under her arm. "Yeah, I do."

Sora, Red and Galuf stood in the abandoned town of Alexandria, looking up at the castle with the sword. The ship rested on the grass outside and the sounds of Tifa and Barret hooking up the warp engines could be heard clanging all around. Thankfully there didn't seem to be any Heartless. The sky above was a soft grey. The air held a chill that pierced everything. Sora grimaced. Looked like it'd be snowing before long. He was starting to wish he'd worn something other than a white-sleeved top below his Turtle's Paradise t-shirt. Oh well, at the very least he had a thick red scarf around his neck.

But this was hardly the time for worrying about clothing issues. Sora tried to switch his mind off from the world. He remembered the ways Red had taught him to access his heart. If he could do it now they'd be able to find Zidane quickly and easily. Closing his eyes, Sora took a deep breath.

Galuf looked a little confused. "Sora?"

"Shhh," Red muttered. "Let him concentrate. The sooner we find Zidane the sooner we can get out of here and help Yuna."

It was easier this time, slipping into that place with all the doors. Sora looked at them, his mind focused solely on finding Zidane. When the doors flew open, he found himself staring at Alexandria's castle. For a moment he thought he'd merely opened his eyes but then the scene changed. A huge flight of marble steps led up to a balcony near the sword. There was a figure standing there. Was that Zidane? Sora could hear footsteps.

 _Who's there?_

 _Someone who can help you understand what's going on._

 _What are you talking about?_

 _The darkness that grows within you. I can show you how to wield it._

"No!"

Sora was running forward even before he knew he was back in the streets of the silent town. Red and Galuf chased after him, not knowing what was wrong. They ran into the disused town square and Sora paused to pick a direction. He went right.

"Where are you going?" Red called. "What's wrong?"

"I know where Zidane is but they've already found him!"

"Who?"

Sora didn't reply. He'd run into a snag. A watery snag. Whose smart idea was it to put a damn lake around the castle? And was there a boat to be seen? No of course there wasn't. They didn't have time for delays. Calling out the Keyblades Sora dipped the tips of both in the water and cast Blizzaga. The ice shot across the surface, eerily reminiscent of his dreams. He stepped onto it just as another sound hit the air.

"Heartless!" Galuf hollered.

"Sora go!" Red yelled. "We'll hold them off. Get Zidane and do whatever it takes to snap him out of it!"

Sora hesitated. There was so much to do. "Are you sure?"

"Just go!"

And Sora went, adding another freezing spell whenever the ice ran out. He didn't dare look back. He didn't want to see the kind of danger he was leaving his friends to face. He had to get to Zidane and stop him from leaving with whoever it…

 _Whoever?_

…Riku. Sora had to stop Zidane from leaving with Riku.

The snow started to fall, freezing but soft and silent. Sora found himself in the grounds of the huge castle. Raggedy flags fluttered from posts in the breeze. The thin bushes trembled as snow gathered upon them. The castle's main entrance stood wide open, the interior visible. Not a single sound came from inside. Sora went in, dead leaves that had blown in from the gardens snapping underfoot. The huge portrait of a particularly unpleasant looking woman graced the back wall in between two flights of stairs. Trying not to look too much, for Sora feared it would give him nightmares, he ran up the stairs, carpet eating the sound of his footfalls.

He reached the floor above. There were doors either side of the balcony and one on the back wall. It was the door furthest from him that caught Sora's attention. A woman stood up there with her back to him. She was dressed in a servant's attire, her brown hair restrained by a ribbon. Her shoulders were ever so slightly hunched, her head bowed forward. Her silence in the stillness of the castle was unnerving. Sora frowned. There was something odd about her, something strange about the way she held herself. Was it familiarity he felt? Did he know her?

"E-excuse me Miss…?" Nothing. He walked along the balcony and closer to the archway she stood in. "Are you alone here? Maybe you can help me, I'm looking for someone…"

That was when he noticed something rather odd. Her feet… her feet were pointed at him. But she was facing the other way. Her entire body was turned the other way and yet her feet were all wrong. A nauseous shudder worked through Sora's stomach. He reached her back and she still hadn't responded. Had she even realised he was here? Sora knew he was about to do something possibly quite stupid but the woman refused to respond and her strange quietude made him want to make as much sound as possible just so he knew life went on around him. Sora was certain he knew her from somewhere and the only way to confirm her identity was to see her face. His hand landed on her shoulder, her body cold beneath her clothes.

"I'm sorry Miss but I..."

She didn't turn as such. Her bones cracked and popped as they shifted impossible turns. Sora yanked his hand back. Her head turned around. Turned…as turning a circle. Everything else Sora had left to say faded out of his mind. The sight of a head moving impossibly was one shock but her face was the one that truly rendered him silent. His eyes grew wide with the horror. His hand fell away. He backed away, unable to comprehend the sight he saw. Part of his mind wanted him to run but his legs wouldn't move again. He stood, fused to the spot, in absolute horror.

"Sora," Belle greeted, her mouth a twisted mess as though someone had tried to rip it off. Her one eye creased as her face became a mockery of a smile, the empty socket of the other deep and dark. Her torso snapped as it twisted itself to face the right way. "How nice of you to join us."


	42. Chapter 42

Ready, steady…go!

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Forty-Two

Sora knew he should summon the Keyblades and attack but he couldn't. He found himself unable to do much other than stare in unabashedly sickened shock. "Wh…what happened to you?"

"Haven't you guessed yet?" Belle asked, laughing almost kindly. "Oh I suppose your mind's been on other things." The bones in her wrists crunched as her hands flexed impossible angles. "You understand that I can't let you go any further."

That snapped Sora into action. Oathkeeper and Oblivion appeared in his hands. "I won't let you take Zidane." He crouched down, Oathkeeper held over his shoulder and Oblivion across his body, ready for attack or defence. "I'm coming through whether you like it or not."

"Yes, I thought you might be so foolhardy. Never mind."

She didn't give another warning. Her feet twisted into their proper position as she leaped into the air. Sora watched as the skin on the back of her hands split open, bones stretching out like claws. He jumped back to avoid being injured. Belle landed in a crouch, loose locks of her brown hair falling forward. She threw up her right arm, a sharp spear made of bone jutting out the middle of her knuckles. Raising her head Belle smiled excitedly. "I knew you'd provide me with a good fight. I've been waiting so long."

She jumped again but this time Sora was ready and he caught her attack on Oathkeeper's edge, slivers of bone spraying away. She grit her teeth, smirking against the pain. Pulling her arm back she lunged forward, the spike from her left hand aimed at Sora's chest. He parried it with ease, sending her tottering backwards.

"You'll have to kill me if you want to get past me," she told him, throwing herself into an attack. "Can you do it?"

"I've killed the others haven't I?" The words were strong but the thought made him feel sick.

Her arms swept back and forth as she tried to tear Sora apart. Every time he caught her spears more chunks of bone flew off. She didn't seem to care, not even as blood began to bloom from the wounds the spears emerged from. Her attacks pushed him back against the balcony. At the last minute Sora flipped backwards, landing atop the marble banister. He hesitated for a moment and that was enough time for Belle to score a hit, catching his forehead and drawing blood. Sora jumped backwards, landing on the floor below. He ignored the sting from the cut, wiping the blood away before it obscured his vision. As expected Belle jumped down after him, only to be caught by Strike Raid. She crashed into the ground, both her weapons snapping in two. She screamed out and Sora pressed his advantage. He didn't let her get up. He kicked her under the chin, sending her sprawling onto her back. Swallowing down his reservations, Sora slammed Oblivion into Belle's shoulder, the black tip sinking into her skin. She screamed again as he used Oathkeeper like Oblivion before it on her other shoulder. He pinned her to the floor, driving both his blades into the marble ground.

"I don't want to kill you," Sora said, reaching down to pick up the broken bones. "But I'm going on ahead."

He pulled Oathkeeper out first, replacing it with one of the spears. Belle's joints clicked and popped as she wildly tried to tear herself free. The other spear almost went in Oblivion's place before Sora had a change of mind and jammed it through her left leg instead.

"It will take more than this to kill me." Belle spat at him as he walked away. "You'll pay for this!"

Sora began climbing the stairs once again. "Yeah, maybe."

He ignored the rest of her screamed threats, running back along the balcony and through the archway she had been protecting. He found himself in another hallway, albeit far more austere than the previous hall. There were stairs to his right and doors to the front and left. Sora took the stairs. After all, the sword was on the top of the castle and the mental map in his mind told him he wasn't high enough to be level with it. Up the stairs he went with instinct and took the double doors to his left. He crashed through into another hall, this one large and grim with dust and shadows. The air was chilly from lack of life and sunlight. Sora took an uncertain step forward. Which way?

Footsteps interrupted his thoughts. Two figures appeared from a door to his left. Sora looked over. He recognised them instantly, relief still managing to flood through him. "Zidane! Riku!"

The look on Zidane's face was a bizarre cross of relief and shame. He moved to speak but Riku held up a hand and the blond fell back. Sora's childhood friend walked forward. "Well, I wondered when you'd get here."

"Riku…why are you doing this?"

He shrugged. "What choice do I have?"

Sora looked uneasy as he spoke. "It is you, isn't it? That other voice I've heard is you. You told me you want to die."

Any trace of levity was wiped out. Riku, his darker eyes haunted, looked at Sora with something close to desperation. "Can you do it? Can you kill me?"

"Of course I can't! Why would I? You're my best friend!"

"No I'm not." He cocked his head at Zidane. "I'm going to kill him if he doesn't come with me. If I was dead he'd be safe."

Zidane met Sora's troubled gaze. "I'm going with him Sora. I have to. Trust me, it's for your own good."

"You can't go. You don't understand what will happen! Don't just stand there, fight back!"

"Don't," Riku commanded. "I'll kill you and I won't care. We both know you don't want that. You made a promise didn't you? You're not going to break it are you?" Zidane didn't meet Riku's eyes. The younger man turned back to Sora. "I don't want to be a murderer but I can't stop it." He raised a hand imploringly. "Please Sora, you have no idea how helpful it'll be if I just die!"

"Shut up!" Sora yelled. "I'm not going to. I can't!"

"Sora…" Zidane's voice was quiet. "I think he's right."

"Stay out of this!"

Riku stepped back towards Zidane. The silver-haired teen rested a hand on his shoulder. "Shall we?"

"Zidane what the hell are you doing?" Sora demanded, uncharacteristic words tumbling out with his anger. "You can't go with him! I know what's happening to you! I can help you…both of you!"

"You always were the optimistic one, weren't you?" Riku replied, a slight smile on his too-old face. "But it won't get you anywhere. One way or another I'm going to make sure you kill me."

The door behind them clanged open and Belle, blood flooding over her uniform, limped in. Before Sora could react she grabbed him in a headlock, a new spear made of bone held in front of his throat. Riku looked at her, his face struggling between fear and disinterest. But fear of what? However, a confident smirk soon darkened his features. "Belle, nice timing."

The woman smirked. "I told him he'd pay."

"Ah, now you can't go killing him. You know who that right is reserved for." Riku turned to Zidane. "Come on. There's something else I need from you before we go to Disney Castle."

Sora tried to struggle free but Belle was insanely strong. "Zidane don't!"

The blond looked at Sora. "It'll be alright Sora. Don't worry about me." Hands slipping casually into his pocket, Zidane turned to Riku. "We need to go to Lindblum. The thing you're looking for is there."

Lindblum…where was that?

Riku raised a hand and a black portal appeared in front of him. "Belle, ensure Sora doesn't follow us."

The only warning he had was the sound of bones cracking as Belle's spear shrunk away. Then a pain smashed into the back of his head. Sora hit the deck, watching through blurring eyes as Riku, Belle and Zidane disappeared. He tried to pull himself up but halfway to his knees dizziness swallowed him and he gave up, sinking back to the ground. He heard something drop on the ground but before he could move everything faded out.

"I've found something."

Kairi looked up, unable to remember if she'd spoken aloud. She said it again, louder this time. "I've found something!" Then she yelled it at the top of her voice. "I've found something!"

Footsteps came running from the floor above. The group had taken over the clothes shop in the Second District. It was free of the Heartless and large enough for them to live comfortably thanks to the apartment on the level above. There was even room in the old storage rooms for a training area (Cloud and Squall were making good use of it at that particular moment although Kairi and Yuffie had had plenty of mock battles). Kairi had been reading in the store, nestled in a pile of clothes, when she made her discovery. She looked up and Donald came running in, Goofy and Aerith close behind.

"What is it?" The wizard demanded excitedly.

Kairi read aloud from the small journal she held. "Light, Dark and the place in-between. I found a strange old book in the library of Hollow Bastion. It was entirely illegible aside from the words on the cover. I don't know what it means or what it refers to but it does have echoes of old stories about light, dark and the Heartless. The place in-between… is it another world? What if it's a kind of magic or maybe even a person? What if it has something to do with the Keyblade? I have very little to go on. I cannot begin to comprehend the true meaning of these words but they seem important for some reason." Kairi bounced to her feet. "I think it's one of Ansem's other reports, older than the others because parts of this journal are faded and hard to read." She passed it to Donald who began flicking through. "Isn't this a lead?" She asked Aerith and Goofy, barely able to keep herself from dancing. "What if that's where Sora is, in that place in-between?"

Before Aerith could respond Donald let out a squawk of disbelief. "Goofy, look at this!"

The knight walked over and looked at the page Donald had open. He scanned it before reacting in shock. "Donald is that…?"

"The King's handwriting!"

Kairi hurried over and looked. "Are you sure?"

Donald flicked hurriedly through more pages, stopping when something caught his eye. Goofy couldn't hold back his gasp of shock. "Tha…that's the King's seal!"

"I'd say this is a lead," Aerith calmly stated, a smile gracing her face.

When it all came back, minutes or hours later Sora couldn't tell, he was completely alone. He got to his feet, shaking the rest of the static from his mind. He looked over to where the other three had disappeared and saw a ball of paper on the ground. He hurried over and picked it up. It was a note from Zidane.

 _We're going to Lindblum. There's something there Riku wants – it's called Ribbon. It belonged to a friend of mine. I'll explain later, I promise. I'll delay him as long as I can but you'd better hurry. Meet me in the Theatre District._

There was a hastily drawn map with an 'X' marking Lindblum's location in reference to Alexandria. Shoving the note in his pocket Sora turned to leave. He found a single Heartless. The Keyblades appeared, ready for a fight. Then he realised he wasn't looking at a Heartless – he was looking at a ghost. The difference was obvious when she didn't attack. In fact she didn't move at all. She looked up and for the first time Sora met a pair of eyes that looked completely and utterly dejected, to the point where a heart would just break. Too pale to be alive, she looked at him with eyes that might have once been brown. She had the saddest eyes Sora had ever seen. Her body shimmered, the edges blurring in and out of focus.

Pity stirred in Sora's heart. "Who are you?" He asked, feeling a little shy.

She faded away, gone like smoke. Sora frowned. Who was she? Would Zidane know? Perhaps.

"Yeah, idiot, 'cause he's gonna know everyone who ever lived on his entire world," Sora muttered to himself, walking back out to the stairs. "Can you name everyone on your world? No. Exactly."

 _First sign of madness, talking to yourself._

"I wondered when you'd pass comment."

"Sora! Where are you?"

"Red?"

Sora ran down the stairs and back to the main balcony area. There he found Red and Galuf, looking a little tired, on the lower floor. "Did you get rid of the Heartless?" he asked the pair as he ran back down the stairs.

"Yes but there was something odd," Red said. "It looked like a ghost…a child. But I've never seen anyone dressed so strangely."

"I have," Galuf replied. "The ghost looked like a black mage – he wore the same robes and hat."

"Well never mind now," Red replied. "Sora, what happened here?"

Sora quickly explained what had happened. "So we've got to get to Lindblum. I think Zidane's okay. I mean I don't think Ansem's got to him. But Riku…Riku might kill him if Zidane doesn't do what Ansem wants."

"I don't know if the ship will be able to fly," Red said as they hurried back to the frozen moat. "Depends on how fast Tifa and Barret managed to work in this weather." The snow was thicker now and falling heavier and faster. "And it's too far to go by foot."

"We'll make it," Sora said, running over the ice and renewing the spell when needed. "We have to." He hadn't forgotten about Yuna.

When they made it back into the town square two ghosts stood in their path. A large man in armour and a woman similarly dressed shimmered in front of them. Both held swords and raised them, pointing at the path that led back to the ship. Another crowd of Heartless stood blocking the street. The pair faded away and Sora didn't waste another moment. The Keyblades were out and attacking in an instant, cutting the Heartless down even as they leapt into the air. Red and Galuf hung back, realising they weren't needed. Sora fought with determined precision. There was no time to lose. Every second counted. He couldn't let Riku kill Zidane. He wouldn't let Yuna die. Time was counting down but he'd never let it run out.

The last Heartless fell, collapsing and sinking into the wall of a derelict shop. Sora didn't even stop to look back at Red and Galuf. He just ran to the gates leading out of Alexandria and back to the ship. Get to Lindblum's Theatre District. Zidane would be there. Everything would go smoothly. Riku would… Sora shook his head. He didn't understand what Riku was thinking so he didn't bother trying to convince himself everything would be fine with his oldest friend.

Sora burst out of Alexandria. Barret and Tifa looked up from where they were checking over the newly installed warp engine. "What is it?" Tifa asked, knowing something was wrong.

"We gotta get going." Sora handed her Zidane's note. "We need to get to Lindblum."

"Lindblum eh?" Barret answered. "Ain't that Zidane's hometown?"

"I think so," Tifa said, scanning the note as she packed up various tools. "Makes sense that he'd go there." She looked up at Sora. "Get onboard. The ship's ready to go. Galuf, get the engines fired up."

Soon they were airborne, lifeless plains rushing away behind them. The snow was turning into a blizzard but the ship had no trouble flying through it all. Lindblum loomed out of the mountains ahead of them, a massive city contained within gigantic walls. Sora had never seen anything like it. Lindblum looked as though someone had just piled buildings upon buildings on the cliff top and put a wall around them to hold the impressive city together. The snow coating the city made it look almost romantic and Sora entertained a daydream of leading Kairi through the streets with big mugs of hot chocolate to keep them warm.

"Where do we land?" Red asked, drawing Sora back into the real world. "I can't see a good place anywhere."

"Look over there," Tifa said, pointing at a giant clock. "To the left. Are those airships?"

"Yeah, that looks like a dock," Barret said, leaning forward. "Reckon the ship'll fit Galuf?"

"Absolutely. Hold on."

The ship neatly slipped into one of the docking areas. To the group's amazement they found themselves inside a massive castle, dim light still flickering out from the lampposts dotted around. The gears of the massive clock clunked noisily on the dock's left-hand side. Sora, Tifa and Red walked forward in awed silence. Galuf stayed back with Yuna while Barret remained on the ship to run a few last minute diagnostic tests on the warp drive.

"Where do we go?" Red asked, his voice echoing around the chamber. "There are stairs over there but we can go straight on as well." He scanned the area. "Typical, no signposts."

But something caught Sora's eye. Another white scrap of paper rested on the ground near the stairs. He picked it up. The instruction was simple: this way. He grinned. Looked like Zidane was leaving a trail for them to follow. The three headed down the stairs and along a hallway that led to a station. An abandoned tram sat at the bottom platform, the door hanging open. Sora held his arms up as he fought against the snow to get onto the tram, Tifa and Red close behind. Once onboard it didn't take Tifa long to figure out the manual controls and get the thing moving. She didn't dare crank the motor up higher than its minimum speed – the snow was driving out the sky, making it almost impossible to see the world ahead. Gusts buffeted the tram, causing it to swing dangerously. At least their low speed made it easy for Tifa to notice when they were coming up to a station marked Theatre District. She pulled a lever and the tram shuddered to a stop.

"Will Zidane be alone?" Tifa asked, checking her materia as they left the tram.

"I doubt it," Red replied. "We should be ready for a fight."

"Business as usual," Sora muttered.

They found themselves in a small town square, an art gallery off to the left and stairs going down from the top right corner. The whole area was being lost beneath the snow. Sora shivered, wishing he'd picked up a jacket and a pair of gloves on the ship. He plodded through the snow, rubbing his sleeves to keep himself warm, trying to see if Zidane was hidden anywhere. He made his way to the stairs that led down to a lower level of the Theatre District. He squinted, trying to make out the shapes he saw below. Something moved. Instincts saved him. A spear shot out through the air. Sora threw himself to the side, avoiding impalement.

"Tifa!"

"I see it Red!"

Behind him Sora heard the sounds of Tifa and Red fighting a group of Heartless. The Keyblades appeared in Sora's hands as he got back to his feet. He barely paused to sight his target. Without another thought he jumped down the stairs, Keyblades swinging around to slash at Belle. He broke the second spear and, before landing, managed to kick her in the head. She fell to the snow and Riku replaced her, Soul Eater gleaming as it caught both the Keyblades on its winged edge. Zidane moved, daggers in his hands as he moved to corner Belle.

"Kill me," Riku demanded. "Do it!"

"If you want to die why are you fighting me?"

"He controls everything I do. I can't kill myself and I can't just stop fighting and let you kill me. You have to prove you're better than me." Riku pushed Sora back before attacking again, his slashes as graceful as ever. "Don't you understand? I'm sick of being his puppet."

"But…" It was odd, fighting and talking all at once. "There's got to be something I can do!"

"There isn't."

Riku swept forward, jumping up and twisting in midair to put more power behind his blow. Sora swung Oblivion, stopping Riku's attack before bringing Oathkeeper down from above. Riku pulled back, Sora's Keyblade just missing him. Riku attacked again in a relentless flurry of quick, sharp blows. Sora had no choice but to block them and wait for an opening. The temperature was well below freezing and with each smash Sora could feel his grip weaken. His hands grew numb. He had to end this before Riku tore through his defences. The Soul Eater pounded against Oblivion as Sora pulled Oathkeeper up to attack. Snow flew into his eyes, almost blinding him, but Sora pushed forward and slashed. Oathkeeper turned an arc, the Keyblade's end digging deep into Riku's face and tearing a long gash. Blood splattered into the snow. Riku faltered, laughing as he raised a hand to his face.

"Hurting me doesn't seem to trouble you." He shook his hand and droplets of blood flicked into the air. "Why is killing me beyond you?"

"Stop asking me to kill you!"

Riku laughed but the sound was bitter. "Fool. You haven't figured it out yet have you? I told you I'm not your friend. I told you once before you cannot save me." He lunged forward but Sora knocked his weapon off-target. "I want to die. Can't you understand that death is a better alternative?"

Sora jumped forwards, hooking Oblivion under Riku's wrist and knocking the Soul Eater away with Oathkeeper. Crouching down Sora kicked out and knocked Riku's feet from under him. He landed in the snow, sinking a little into its cold embrace. Sora stood over him, Keyblades held to his friend's chest. "Stop asking me. I won't do it."

"Then I will kill Zidane." Riku planted a foot on Sora's chest and shoved him away. The younger boy hit the snow hard, feeling his elbows crack against the pavement below. "Belle, make sure he doesn't stop me."

Sora pulled himself up just as Riku picked up the Soul Eater and charged at Zidane who was still trying to heave himself off the ground after Belle had knocked him down. She was running to keep Sora busy. On the level above Tifa and Red were still keeping the other Heartless at bay. There was no one else. Sora was the only one who could stop this. But how?

 _You know exactly how._

There had to be another way!

 _The other way means I win._

Riku's sword hung in the air, poised to deliver a terrible blow. Sora looked up through the snow. He found a strange sight. Another ghost, this one looking like a human-sized rat, stood upon a roof with a bowed head. The ghost turned and Sora knew he was being looked at with eyes as sad as the girl from the castle. Time was about to run out. Belle was almost upon him. The tip of Riku's weapon was digging into Zidane's shoulder ever so slowly to ensure a slow and agonising death. The ghost's eyes pierced Sora's heart. He had to choose one life over another.

 _No, there aren't two lives ahead of you._

Sora raised Oathkeeper and Oblivion.

The blade went a bit deeper, grazing against bone. Zidane cried out. "S-Sora!"

"I'm going to kill him," Riku promised, face deadly composed. As he buried the blade deeper he cast a look to Sora. "You don't have to save him. He hurt you too didn't he? He almost killed your other friend as well. He told me everything. But Sora…"

Sora made his choice.

"Does Zidane want to die like I do?"

Strike Raid did the rest.

Oblivion pierced Belle's chest. She fell backwards and lay stunned in the snow. Oathkeeper buried itself in Riku's back, the star-shaped tip coated in blood as it protruded from his chest. Zidane grabbed the Soul Eater and with a growl to disguise the pain he heaved the jagged blade out of his shoulder. Riku's knees bent and he sank down before falling down and lying flat on his stomach. The Keyblades returned to Sora and disappeared, the younger boy walking forward feeling numb and horrified. He collapsed to his knees and rolled Riku over, blood staining his hands. The older boy looked at him with dying eyes.

"Thank you."

"Don't say that."

"I've wanted to die…for such a long time." Riku coughed and blood spilt over his chin. "Sora…thank you."

"No. Don't…Riku please don't die!"

"You can't…can't t-take responsibility f-for my…my actions."

Sora didn't have an answer.

Riku coughed again. He looked tired and when he spoke it was with a deep anguish. "I…I'm n-not human."

"Yes you are!"

"I'm…I'm a Fallen… Sora," Riku reached out with a trembling arm, his weak grip on Sora's hand. "Th-this is the place in-between. I-I'm not the s-same as…"

But there were no more words. The last breath hissed out of Riku's lungs, blood staining the snow as he died.

"What do you mean?" Sora shook the body of his friend, demanding an answer. "Riku what do you mean?" Snow began to settle over them both, turning crimson as it landed in the blood. "Riku! Riku…"

His body began to go down, falling into the snow. Sora's eyes went wide as Riku began to fade. His hands were suddenly empty as the body fell away. Sora cried out, unable to comprehend what he was seeing. And then the only trace of Riku was the blood that turned the snow black. Not red. Black. No… how could it be?

For all his experiences Sora sounded like a confused toddler as he asked, in a small voice, "Where did he go?"

But there was to be no answer. Sora was alone, kneeling in blood as the snow drifted out of the sky.


	43. Chapter 43

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Forty-Three

A hand landed on Sora's shoulder. He barely noticed; his mind was so far away. Riku was dead, gone and never coming back. But why had he disappeared like the Heartless? What did that mean? No, Sora wasn't so dense. He knew what it meant. Riku hadn't been human. But Sora didn't know how to feel. Should he feel guilty or was he meant to be crying? He wasn't really sure. He just felt numb. Someone gently lifted his chin. It was Tifa. She smiled, the expression tinged with concern. "Hey. We're there."

She tugged him to his feet and he followed her and the others silently off the tram. Zidane tried to meet his eyes but Sora didn't look. If he could help it he wouldn't look at anyone else for a very long time.

"The Ribbon is in the castle. They wanted it because it allows the user to cast Holy," Zidane said, his voice quiet. He seemed nervous and embarrassed. "I'll go and get it."

"Wait, you're wounded!" Tifa said, putting a hand on his good shoulder and casting Cure3. "Better?"

"Yeah, a lot."

"You still need stitches and dressings. We should do that before…"

"We don't have time." Sora's voice was devoid of emotion. Everyone stopped and looked at him even though he kept his back to the others. "We've still got to save Yuna."

"What's wrong with Yuna?" Zidane asked.

"She's dying."

Zidane didn't stay standing still. "Come on, let's go! It won't take long to find. Then we can help Yuna."

"Keyhole first," Sora reminded him in that same distant tone.

"Any idea where that could be?" Red asked, chasing after his human companions.

"I know exactly where it is," Zidane replied, taking the lead. "Riku told me. He said he was the one who froze this…" He noticed the horrified look in Sora's eyes. "Never mind."

Sora found himself unable to stay quiet for long, his curiosity (as always) getting the better of him. "How long has this world been frozen?"

"Not long," Zidane replied. "I don't think it's been a year yet."

"Oh."

"I still remember the day we found you in Alexandria," Red said. "It was a miracle you survived those Heartless attacks."

"Uh…yeah." Zidane was uneasy but he spoke anyway. "I'll explain everything, I promise. I owe you all the truth."

Zidane led them into the castle, past the docks and into a small area with a dry fountain. He ran up the stairs to the left and into another corridor, this one opulently decorated with red velvet carpet and elaborate designs on the walls. He led them into large bedroom that had two levels. On the top was a huge bed, the blankets torn and old. The lower level had piles of toys and, oddly, a few more beds. Everything was in a terrible state of disrepair. Zidane stopped dead and didn't move, blocking the doorway.

"Zidane?" Tifa called.

Red squeezed into the room. "There's another ghost. It's a little girl."

Sora, retaining his tact despite his otherwise emotionless state, carefully moved Zidane aside and stepped into the room. On the highest level the windowpanes rattled, the wind outside blowing a gale. Sora saw the ghost Red spoke of. It was a little girl, younger than Yuna, her eyes just as sad as the girl from Alexandria and the odd lady from the Theatre District. Disbelief stirred lazily in Sora, doing little to break through his otherwise emotionless state. The girl had a horn coming out of her forehead. She looked at Zidane, face crumpling. She raised a hand and pointed to one of the beds on the lower level.

"Eiko."

She disappeared.

"Who was she?" Tifa asked as Zidane crouched down and looked under the bed.

He didn't respond right away. He didn't look up. His shoulders trembled slightly. Eventually he managed to say softly, "She was a friend I didn't protect. This was her room." He looked up at Sora. "Riku said he needed Holy to open a door. I don't know what he meant. Anyway, the Ribbon is under this bed."

Swallowing hard at the mention of his friend's name, Sora laid down flat on the dusty carpet and slid under the bed. There was nothing there. He looked at the wall the bed was pushed up against and that was when he noticed something. A patch of the wall looked a little different and he reached out, touching it lightly. It moved beneath his fingers. He pushed harder and the stone fell backwards. Behind it was a small, jewel-encrusted box. There was a message engraved in the top. Dearest Eiko it read Happy Seventh Birthday, With Love From Z and D. Sora removed the lid and found a pink ribbon. He picked it up, the magic contained within it swamping his senses. It was immensely powerful but he didn't think he knew how to draw it out.

"Found it?" Zidane asked.

"Yeah."

Sora put the box back in the compartment and slid out from beneath the bed. He held his discovery up. "Is this it?"

Zidane nodded. "Yeah. But I don't know if any of us can use it. Eiko's…she was a white mage."

"Yuna can probably help out then," Red said.

At the mention of her name Sora shoved the ribbon in a pocket and left the room, the others having to jog to keep up with him. "Where's the Keyhole?" He asked Zidane.

"In the Iifa Tree. It used to be the gateway taking all of Gaia's souls to Terra."

Sora looked confused but he didn't meet Zidane's eyes. "I don't understand."

"Save the explanations for the ship," Red interrupted before Zidane could start. "Come on, let's get out of here."

The journey back to the ship went without a hitch and soon Galuf had them out of the dock and back in the air. "Where to?" he asked Zidane.

"North." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a pad of paper and a pencil. "Stole it from the labs on Hollow Bastion. Came in handy," he grinned half-heartedly. He sketched a quick map and handed it to Galuf. "There. It's a huge tree. You shouldn't miss it."

"Zidane." It was Red. "It's time you explained everything."

"I know." Zidane walked to the middle of the bridge and took a deep breath. "I'm not human. I'm a Genome. I wasn't born. I was created in a lab to host the soul of another person."

"Snow White said something about you being different," Sora said quietly. "She said your body and heart didn't match."

"She's right. They don't." Zidane rubbed the back of his head. "It's a little complicated but this world, Gaia, was under attack by another world, Terra. Terra tried to steal the souls of Gaia and replace that world with itself." He waved a hand, sensing the confusion. "I know I'm not making much sense. It's complicated but I'll try and keep it simple."

"So where's Terra now?" Red asked.

"Destroyed by another like me," Zidane replied. "There were a lot of us Genomes but only two with souls: myself and my self-appointed brother Kuja." Zidane held up a hand before Red could ask another question. "He's dead. He died two years before the Heartless came."

Sora looked at the floor. He didn't want to think of any more deaths right now. He forced himself to take part in the conversation. "So what happened to your world…Uh, Gaia I mean?"

"The Heartless came and everyone died." Zidane's blue eyes were haunted with shadows of painful memories. "We didn't know what to do – we couldn't kill the Heartless fast enough. More and more kept coming, kept killing." Zidane began pacing. "I tried to save my friends and…and the girl I loved but I failed. They all died in Alexandria and Lindblum." He bit his lip hard, tears glittering in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry," Tifa murmured. "I know how hard it is to lose…"

"Before I knew it every person on the whole world was gone except me." Zidane didn't seem to realise someone else was speaking, too caught up in his own memories to stay quiet for long. He laughed, a choked sound. "It was so surreal, walking around streets and seeing nothing but bodies. Then I went to where the other Genomes were and I found them all alive. I knew why – they didn't have hearts to be stolen. And with me…" Zidane looked bitter and angry. "I guess the Heartless couldn't take a heart that wasn't entirely real. Then…" Zidane paused, coming to a standstill as his eyes gazed out over the world rushing by below. "I began to see my friends as ghosts. They would always look so sad. " Zidane rubbed his face before turning back to the others. "Shortly after that the Heartless started hunting me. I don't know if they wanted me dead or…"

"Or if they wanted to take you to their master," Sora supplied in a monotone.

"Well that's all fascinatin' but ain't none've it explainin' why ya ran away," Barret pointed out.

"Or why you were created," Red added.

"Red, I thought you would've guessed," Zidane said in a tone that was almost teasing. "I was created to aid the process of giving Gaia's souls to Terra. I was meant to incite warfare and death on a massive scale. My creator, Garland, called me an Angel of Death."

"Ah, the pieces fall in to place," Red said with a knowing nod.

"I have an ability called Trance. It's caused by rage, nothing else. I was created to kill and destroy. Recently I've noticed my Trance ability makes me feel so, so angry. It's easy to lose control." Zidane looked over his shoulder. "When I… I stabbed Sora something in me snapped. I was sickened by what I had done but at the same time I felt so angry for being made to do it. I wanted to make sure I never had to do anything I didn't want to do again."

Sora remained silent but Tifa spoke up. "Sora wasn't himself at the time. You didn't mean to hurt him – you wanted to stop the one controlling him."

"But I meant to hurt you." Zidane looked at Tifa, utterly serious. "I could feel it, rage beyond anything running through every part of me. All these thoughts were leaping into my mind. I was convinced you were tricking me. It made me want to kill everyone in my way. I was…no… I am afraid still. I don't know what makes me feel like that but I am different and for all I know Garland could've given me powers I still don't know about."

"It's this place," Sora said, finally looking up and meeting Zidane's gaze. "This place between light and dark. It's full of shadows that bring out another side of ourselves."

 _The murderous side we all have but keep tightly controlled._

Sora didn't say another word. He walked off the bridge, alone with his thoughts…and the thoughts of another. The others let him go without comment.

"I am not a murderer," he said quietly when he was a safe distance from the bridge. "Riku wasn't human."

Sora felt sick. He'd admitted it aloud. Riku hadn't been human. Did it matter? He was still gone. He called himself a 'Fallen'. What did that mean? Sora's stomach twisted. How could he have messed up so badly? How was he going to tell Kairi? How was he going to tell Riku's family?

 _You can't take responsibility for his actions. Isn't that what he told you?_

"His actions? I killed him."

 _You killed a Fallen. Want me to list a few others you've killed?_

Sora hid his face behind his hands, realising too late they were stained with Riku's blood. He thought he was going to be sick. He ran into the kitchen and thrust his hands beneath scalding water. Swallowing hard he kept the nausea at bay.

 _Why worry? They were all Heartless after all. My Heartless._

"Why was Riku a Heartless?" Sora thought he should be crying but instead all he felt through the sickness was a raw anguish. "Is that what happened to him in Kingdom Hearts? Is that why I have two Keyblades? Is the King dead as well?"

There was no response.

His head began to ache. Or, rather, the headache Belle had given him returned with a vengeance. Sora was so confused he could feel it weighing on his mind. He kept telling himself over and over 'Riku's gone, Riku's dead, Riku was a Heartless, I killed Riku' as if to inspire tears but nothing came. Instead he kept thinking how he had to leave this cold world and get Yuna home. He had to save her. No more victims. He wouldn't let Yuna die.

"Sora?" Zidane called from the kitchen's doorway. "We're at the Iifa Tree."

Sora pulled his hands out the water, wincing as he dried them on a towel. Silently he followed his friend to the ship's hatch where Tifa and Red were waiting. No one spoke as they stepped out onto the last patch of land before the tree roots created bridges leading to Iifa Tree's astoundingly gigantic trunk. Nothing hung from the branches aside from dying vines. If the tree had ever been beautiful it would certainly take a leap of the imagination now to recreate its lost glory.

"That is one very large tree," Tifa said with an appreciative whistle.

"The Keyhole's inside," Zidane said, hopping onto a branch and walking forward. "Watch your step. This place is a little less stable than it used to be."

Quietly the four of them began the long trek to the base of the Iifa Tree, snow still rushing to blanket the world.

"King Mickey was researching this in-between place not Ansem?" Yuffie sounded shocked. "I knew the two of them met and all but weird research tended to be Ansem's gig y'know?"

"Light, Dark and the place in-between," Leon said thoughtfully. "If Kingdom Hearts is Light and the Heartless are Dark are we in-between?"

"I thought we were siding with light," Cid pointed out. "What briefing did I miss?"

"What if it's a world?" Donald said. "Sora was taken away through the Keyhole in Brighthelmston. Maybe there's a clue we missed there." The wizard frowned, folding his wings over his chest. "It all sounds so familiar but I don't remember…" he trailed off.

"What if the place in-between is the Keyhole?" Kairi picked up the thread of the discussion. "It sort of makes sense doesn't it? The Heartless and the Keyblade both seek Keyholes…so they're kinda in-between."

"The King wondered if it was a type of magic," Aerith said. "There are plenty of shadow-based magics. Isn't that what lies in-between: shadows?"

"Hey if it's about magic maybe Merlin'll know something!" Goofy suggested. "Donald d'ya think he's still in that old house?"

"Dunno. He might've gone back to Disney Castle… which means if he's not in the house he'll be on Agrabah."

It was quickly decided that Donald and Goofy would go and check Merlin's most recent dwelling before any decision would be taken on Agrabah. Kairi felt a burst of nervous excitement in her heart at the thought of going to Agrabah and seeing all the people from her world. She had to admit she did want to see her family and friends. She was beginning to feel incredibly guilty about her decision to simply run away and only leave a note explaining her absence. But she also wanted to make sure they were all okay. Kairi kept quiet though even though she was quite certain Cloud and Aerith knew what she was thinking.

Meanwhile Donald and Goofy were edging their way to the Third District, gingerly creeping past the strange clumps of Heartless that drifted around. There seemed to be more of them these days, clogging up the streets and freezing the air. Donald adapted an Aero spell to attack rather than defend and blew the Heartless out the way.

"If only the King were around. We sure could use him to answer a few questions," Goofy said wistfully as he opened the Third District's door. "D'ya think we can really find Sora in that in-between place?"

"Who knows," Donald replied harshly. Then he dropped the act. "I hope so. I miss him. At first we annoyed each other so much I never thought we'd get along and then it all worked out." Donald looked up at Goofy, his eyes sad. "He's a good kid. Wherever he is I'm sure he's doing just fine. He is Sora."

Goofy grinned. "Yup, Sora sure is good at gettin' outta trouble. Besides, he's the Keyblade Master. There's nuthin' he can't do!"

"Including not getting into trouble!"

Goofy just laughed.

"Kairi won't let him stay lost," Donald sobered the moment again. "She's gotten a lot stronger."

Goofy didn't miss a beat, surprising Donald as he said, "I haven't forgotten what we promised."

"After all you and I…we're not…"

"Not as important I know. But…I think Sora would disagree."

"He's a kid, he doesn't know what's best for him!" Donald snapped, blasting more Heartless out the way as they passed by the Small House and heading down the stairs. "He can't be replaced but we can." Donald looked a little queasy as he said it.

Goofy just sighed. Sora would definitely disagree with the wizard but Goofy was wise enough to let Donald have the final say. There was no point prolonging the argument. Besides both had already sworn to protect Kairi no matter what and neither would ever back out…

…because neither ever wanted to tell Sora she had died.

When the pair reached Merlin's fiery door it opened onto the strange old cave, an invisible owl hooting somewhere. The Heartless, like before, hadn't touched this place and Donald and Goofy flew over to Merlin's House with ease. Unfortunately for them the house was abandoned. Donald groaned but Goofy noticed something upon the upraised platform. It was a note. Picking it up he read it.

"Hey Donald looks like Merlin left us his new address."

"Huh?"

Goofy was about to read aloud when Merlin's voice issued forth from the letter. The words glowed gold as they were spoken. "To whomever may care, I have left for worlds anew! I do believe my first stop shall be Agrabah as I am quite fascinated with their strange magics and I'm always thirsty for new knowledge (as well as a good cup of tea!). Do come by and see me if you can!"

"Well that settles it," Donald said, heading back out the house. "We're off to Agrabah!"

"Ooh we'd better say hello to Aladdin!"

The group's silence was broken when Tifa spotted someone standing further up the branch path. She called out to the others and pointed. "Who is that?"

Zidane squinted through the snow, walking forward slowly. The jerk in his shoulders told the others he recognised the other person. Sora knew it was another ghost and he walked to Zidane's side, Red and Tifa close behind. The man had thick red hair. It clashed horrendously with his green-tinged skin. He was pointing one heavily muscled arm to the sky above the bare tree. Sora looked up, holding an arm up to shield his eyes from the blustery snow. He saw four dots in the greyish white sky, growing larger with each moment. Before long he could make out the shape of beating white wings. The dragons were an odd silver colour save for red markings around their faces.

"Dragons." Everyone looked at Zidane. "Nova Dragons. They protected the tree before. Hundreds of them."

"Hundreds?" Tifa gulped. "How did you fight them?"

"There were ships," Zidane said distractedly, eyes back on the ghostly man. He was fading away now.

"Looks like we've only got four to deal with," Red said. "Can we handle it?"

"I don't wanna risk it." Tifa reached for her PHS and before long she was in contact with Barret. "Does the ship have any weapons?"

"Yeah. They ain't top've the line but they're better than nothin'."

"Get down here and back us up then!"

"Aye, aye Tifa. Jeez woman, chill out!"

"Barret…" Tifa's tone was deadly.

"Awright! On the way."

Sora had the Keyblades out and it didn't take the others long to be prepared either. Before they knew it all four dragons were upon them. Sora hurriedly cast Aeroga on each member of the party. The four dragons encircled them, each preparing a different attack.

"I can definitely see why you killed these things with a ship!" Red hollered, dodging one of the dragon's tails.

The ship appeared overhead, rail guns mounted on either side firing. One dragon was shot through the wing. It plummeted down and out of sight into the maze of roots. Sora used Strike Raid, trying to rip holes in the other dragons' wings but the Keyblades didn't have the strength to tear through the tough dragon hide.

Barret's voice boomed out of the ship via a loudspeaker suddenly. "I'm goin' after that dragon that fell. We'll be back!"

Tifa was already summoning Bahamut, one dragon taking on three. Sora backed her up, using several Thundaga spells to further weaken the Nova Dragons.

"Try ice-based spells!" Zidane called out, unable to do much with his short-range weapons. "Last time I fought one of these that was one of its weaknesses!"

Red utilised the Scan materia. "Zidane's right. Nova Dragons… they're incredibly strong but weak to ice and wind type magics."

Sora switched to Blizzaga just as Bahamut disappeared. Unfortunately he didn't have much time to do a lot of damage. He heard a very out of place sound: rushing water. Then, as two of the Nova Dragons swept down to unleash powerful physical attacks, the third was summoning a Tidal Wave. There was no time for anyone to grab on to something. Sora was fending off a dragon's deadly sharp claws, Tifa had taken a hit and Zidane was rushing to cover her while Red cast a Cure spell. So when the waters slammed into them they didn't stand much of a chance. All of them were washed off the branches, falling to the roots below.

Winded and bruised, Sora shook a little sense into himself and pulled himself up on all fours before pushing up to his feet. "Ow," he muttered, rubbing the back of his head. He tried to spot the others but they were nowhere to be seen. When he called out they didn't respond. Sighing, Sora looked up through a wooden web, seeing the dragons circling above. One spotted him. He called the Keyblades out, not entirely sure what to do. He couldn't cut through the wings but there had to be some way of disabling the Nova Dragons. Then it hit him. Blind them. Sora could feel the wind gaining strength, knowing another attack was being levelled at him. He glared at the dragon, raising the Keyblades and aiming them at his opponent's eyes. Blizzaga did the rest, great chunks of ice freezing across the dragon's face. Unable to see, the Nova Dragon slammed into the branches above, causing mud and chunks of wood to rain down.

"Sora!"

He turned to see Zidane scrambling up from below. "Have you seen the others?"

Sora shook his head. "I'm sure they'll be fine."

Something began ringing. It took Sora a minute to remember he had a PHS stuffed in one of his pockets. He pulled it out and answered the call. "Hello?"

"Sora, you okay?" It was Tifa.

"Yeah. Zidane's with me."

"Good, I've got Red. Barret's gonna deal with the other dragons. He says the ship's guns make them easy kills."

Sora's blinded dragon was raging above, wings beating wildly. Roaring in distress, the Nova Dragon was definitely about to let loose with some kind of attack. "Tell him to aim at the one going crazy right above me."

Barret's voice replaced Tifa's. "What did ya do kid?"

"Blinded it."

"Nice. Don't worry, I got it."

"Good. I guess Zidane and I will head for the Keyhole."

Tifa's voice came back. "You'll have to go alone. Red and I are a little stuck." The sound of her voice went a little distant. "Well don't look at me like that Red, it's not my fault you can't climb. Stop glaring and distract the damn dragon!" Her attention then switched back to Sora. "Can you two take care of it alone?"

"Yeah, don't worry. I'll call you when we're done."

An explosion screamed above as Barret shot the blinded Nova Dragon away. Sora turned back to Zidane. "Looks like it's just you and me."

Zidane nodded. "Come on, we can still get to the Keyhole. We'll walk along the roots until we hit the trunk and then climb up. I'm pretty sure I can find the way in."

Together the two teenagers began picking their way along the roots, trying not to trip over the uneven surface. The snow still fell, making the path slippery. Above the sounds of guns could still be heard.

"They were defending this place," Sora said.

"If they were defending it why didn't they recognise the Keyblade?"

"Maybe they weren't defending it for us. Maybe they were set up to protect the Keyhole from us."

"You mean you."

"Yeah. Me."

 _It's always about you, isn't it? Or perhaps it's about the Keyblade. You're just…_

"The delivery boy."

"Huh? Did you say something Sora?"

"Uh, no. Come on, let's get to the Keyhole before we get snowed under."

And the two went on their way without another word.


	44. Chapter 44

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Forty-Four

They were almost at the Iifa Tree's trunk now. Sora walked on tirelessly, his mind on a single track – seal the Keyhole and get moving to Yuna's world. The only times he spoke were to warn Zidane of the uneven roots or slippery surfaces.

It took about half an hour for the silence to get to Zidane. Sora had stopped walking, searching for a way to climb back up when Zidane found himself talking, unable to take to words back.

"Are you angry with me?"

Sora turned to face Zidane, surprise clear on his face. "Huh?"

Zidane squirmed a little but met Sora's eyes. "I asked if you were angry with me."

Sora shrugged. "Why would I be mad at you?"

"Shall I give you a list?" Zidane laughed aloud, the sound cutting through the snow. "I stabbed you. You could've died!"

"Tifa was right. It wasn't really me." Sora gave a lopsided smile. "I don't remember it that well anyway. It's all gone kinda fuzzy. So don't worry about it, I'm not angry or anything."

"Then why won't you talk to me? It's like you're mute all over again!"

Sora's smile faded into a frown and he turned back to seeking out his route upwards. "Isn't it obvious?"

"Those words are a little harsh coming from you," Zidane replied calmly, heading over to Sora. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not right now." Sora began climbing up through the tree's roots and branches.

"You need to open up about these things before they hurt you more."

"That's good coming from you."

"And again. Sora, don't let this tear you apart. Your friend wasn't the person he once was. You didn't kill him – he was as good as dead already."

"I told you I don't want to talk about it."

"But Sora…"

"Zidane." Sora's voice was uncharacteristically cold. "I do not want to talk about any of this right now. This isn't the time or the place and when we leave it still won't be the time. I'll do all the talking you want me to do when I feel like it's the right time. But right now I have too many things to do." He hadn't stopped climbing up and now Sora was calling down from on top of a branch. "So shut up and get up here."

Zidane looked at him oddly, a thousand sharp retorts lingering on his tongue. But he didn't reply, hurrying to join Sora instead. They were now on level with the branches the Nova Dragons had thrown them off. Sora looked towards the Iifa Tree and saw a huge hollow, a strange pattern on the ground just visible through the snow. Zidane took the lead, running in to the hollow and placing a hand on the odd markings. He brushed off the snow and the pattern lit up. Suddenly a circular platform fell away, sinking down into the tree. Zidane jumped down and the lift brought him back up. He grinned at his younger friend. "Come on, this is the way to get inside."

Sora joined Zidane on the lift and it descended once again into the tree. The smell of wood hit the air, replacing the cold wetness of the snow. The tree didn't seem to be very alive – it was dark and not all that warm. However there did seem to be something in the air other than the snow that followed them down from outside. And on closer inspection the wood seemed to be glowing ever so gently. The pair walked down a curving path. Sora ran a hand over the wood, feeling the sticky sap sticking to his fingers. Zidane said something about not being sure whether or not there would be Heartless but Sora wasn't really listening. The tree was ancient; somehow Sora could sense it in the air around him. He was reminded of the Lifestream – something that was alive and intelligent but far beyond the limits of a human. This tree was the perfect place to hide the Keyhole.

As they went down the spiral path, something joined the air. It wasn't a sound, or a feeling but somehow it was a disturbance. Zidane looked unbothered but as they stepped out into a massive hole where only a huge leaf seemed to offer a way forward Sora's heart grew heavier.

I didn't…

As the lift, encased in a green glow, spun downwards the younger of the pair felt certain that something unpleasant waited at the bottom. He tried to look down and see but the green fuzz obscured his view. Zidane seemed lost in thought and Sora didn't bother him – he had his things to worry about. Sora patrolled the edge of the leaf; keeping an eye out for the Heartless he felt certain were soon to attack them. Yet they made it to the bottom without hitch and as the pair stepped off the lift Sora began to hope he was just being paranoid. The lift had deposited them at the top of a flight of wooden, grassy stairs that led to where Zidane and his friends had once fought the Soulcage. Green light still glowed from far below, coating the area in an eerily bright yet cloudy light. But the sense of calm this place used to evoke was gone. From somewhere below the sound of footsteps could be heard.

But if the sound came from below coming up why was he seeing a figure walking down the stairs?

 _I didn't want…_

"Sora?"

… _didn't want to…_

He pointed. "Do you see that?"

Zidane looked. "Is that…?"

"A ghost? Yeah."

 _I didn't want to die._

There was more than a single figure. The exact number was hard to make out. The figures of various sizes were blurred. That made it hard to distinguish when one ended and another began. Soon they were no longer visible – they had gone out of view on the middle level before another set of grassy stairs.

The air around them was warm but as they edged towards the figures it grew significantly colder. Sora looked down, grabbing Zidane to stop him from walking. He pointed silently. Numerous footprints were on the ground, all of them icy but all of changing sizes from childlike to excessively tall adult. The two looked at each other grimly.

 _I didn't want to say goodbye._

"Do you know who they are?" Sora whispered, not sure if the voice had spoken aloud or solely in his head. "Is it your friends?"

 _I didn't want to lose my heart._

"I don't know what you're talking about."

 _I didn't want to lose him._

There was no time for games. "I don't know who they were but you're not a very good liar."

 _I didn't want to be forgotten._

 _I didn't want to be alone._

 _We didn't want to…_

"Who are you talking about?"

 _So we stayed._

"Can't you tell?"

The footsteps from below grew louder, knocking against the wooden platform.

 _We stayed to remind him of what he'd lost…_

They rushed over and tried to see who (or what) was coming but there was nothing to see. The tree's structure and all the greenery obscured the view. They had two choices: wait and see or go and discover.

… _Please don't let him die._

If Sora had needed confirmation these voices weren't confined to his skull, the look of unhappy surprise on Zidane's face assured him these were for all to hear.

 _He's the only hope we have left._

Zidane turned away, just as the footsteps hit the stairs the ghosts had only just disappeared down. Sora looked, pushing Zidane behind him and summoning both Keyblades. He didn't know what or who to expect. All he cared about was killing the damn Heartless, locking the Keyhole and moving on very quickly to Yuna's world.

 _We're right here._

A silver-haired head appeared. Zidane made some kind of unintelligible sound. Sora looked at him sharply, whether to demand an explanation or for Zidane to shut up it didn't really matter. Zidane straightened up, face as blank as stone and daggers held ready to attack. And then their adversary stood in front of them, another ghost summoned by the Heartless. This one, however, wasn't a mere unhappy shadow. No, this ghost was deeply malevolent.

"Kuja."

Kairi chewed her lip so much it was threatening to bleed. She followed behind Donald and Goofy as they headed into Agrabah's marketplace, seeking out Kairi's family. They had just stopped by the palace in the hopes of speaking with Aladdin and Jasmine but the guards had turned them away, saying Jasmine was unwell. When Kairi had tried to get more details the guards had politely but firmly told her and her friends to leave.

Now the time when Kairi would have to face the people she'd left behind when she'd run away was growing ever closer. The others had gone to secure lodgings and clues on Merlin's whereabouts while Donald and Goofy accompanied Kairi to find her family. With each step she took her heart's beating grew faster. Would they be angry? Would they just cry? Whatever might happen Kairi was very nervous about it all.

The market was bustling but there were numerous faces Kairi recognised and they knew her too. Surprise was rippling through the crowd and a hush was definitely falling. It didn't take too much longer for one of the former residents of Destiny Islands to call out to her. When Kairi turned she found herself in a tight embrace. People stopped walking, the crowds talking quietly among themselves. Donald and Goofy heard the commotion and stopped to look back, seeing Kairi being embraced by an unknown woman.

Goofy cocked his head. "Y'know…she looks kinda familiar."

Donald closed in on Kairi and the mysterious brown-haired woman. When she pulled back, bright blue eyes full of tears, Donald definitely knew why she seemed so familiar to both Goofy and himself.

She was Sora's mother. There was no doubt about it. Her face, a few lines around the eyes, still held the same youthfulness found in her son. Her eyes were darker but still a brilliant blue. Her deep brown hair was thick, exploding off her forehead in several long bangs as well as hanging in front of her ears to frame her face while the longest amount of her hair was tied with a red band high up on her head. Her clothes were simple – a grey vest and knee-length brown shorts. She released Kairi and wiped a few tears away. "Kairi I'm so glad you're alright."

Kairi smiled at the woman. "Hi Tomoyo."

Tomoyo grasped Kairi's hands, sighing shakily but still managing to smile. "Your parents will want to see you. You have no idea how relieved they'll be."

Kairi nodded just as Donald and Goofy came forward. Kairi introduced them but decided to avoid mentioning how they knew Sora. She wasn't sure how to explain why Sora wasn't with them. Instead the three followed Tomoyo down a very narrow alley that led to numerous little houses. Tomoyo ducked inside one, holding the door open for Kairi, Donald and Goofy. They were led up rickety wooden stairs, the sun casting an orange haze through one tiny window. The stairs opened up onto a single room. Two people sat at a table. The middle-aged couple looked up. Tomoyo stepped out the way and Kairi stepped forwards. Her heart was pounding. Her parents weren't hers by blood but they cared about her just as deeply. The unbelievable relief that their daughter was fine could be seen so clearly on their faces. Kairi ran forwards and into her mother's arms.

"Mother, Father… I'm sorry."

Her father wrapped his arms around his family, holding wife and daughter tightly. Both parents were openly sobbing yet Kairi simply felt great relief. They hadn't been hurt by the Heartless but more importantly they didn't seem angry with her at all. A weight lifted off Kairi as she pulled back. "I'm sorry I ran away but I'm fine, really. I'm better than fine in fact. I'm stronger now and I've been working to…"

Her mother looked at her. "To do what Kairi?"

Kairi looked at Donald and Goofy. Both nodded. She looked at Tomoyo. "I went with them to find Sora."

Kuja's body was suddenly enveloped in flames, consumed by his own Trance. It was similar to Zidane's – feral designs replaced Kuja's unique clothes. Zidane was shaking his head, taking a step back. "He died two years before the Heartless came. How is he here?"

Sora didn't take his eyes off Kuja, Keyblades held for attack and defence. "The Heartless can summon ghosts. That's all he is Zidane."

"I know, I know. It's just a little weird. I made my peace with him. I don't really wanna fight him again."

"I don't think he feels the same."

Kuja held up a hand, a glimmer of magic flickering there. Sora dived out the way just in time to avoid being set on fire. The Iifa Tree wouldn't take long to burn down if Kuja kept using such powerful attacks. Sora jumped forward to attack. He didn't know how to cast Silence so the only way he could stop Kuja using magic was to keep him occupied. But it was hard. Kuja could fly and seemed to know every attack Sora was going to try, pulling out of range at the last minute. The ghost's face was set in a smug smile. Sora tried another tactic but even the majority of his Blizzaga spells went wide, only two finding their target.

"He won't use physical attacks," Zidane said, his eyes tracking Kuja's flight. "It'll all be magic. We need to go back up, lure him to an area where we'll be able to attack on foot."

"He won't follow us," Sora replied, weighing the options. "If the Keyhole is down here Kuja's just gonna guard it no matter what we do."

"So how…"

Zidane fell silent as Sora cast Stopga. Kuja froze but the effect wouldn't last long. Sora didn't waste a second and lobbed both Keyblades, Strike Raid carrying them to their destination. Both Keys scored numerous hits. Kuja's smug face was now a grimace of pain. Zidane tossed Sora an Ether just as Kuja unleashed a sudden counter. Blinding white light stole Sora's vision. Pain slammed into him and when the Iifa Tree's innards came back into view a minute later Sora and Zidane were both lying on their backs, unable to remember the point when they'd been flipped off their feet.

"Damn," Zidane groaned, heaving himself up. "Holy."

"That was Holy? How can a ghost use Holy?"

"That's not all he's got up his sleeve. Look out!"

Kuja was in range and he was already casting another spell, this one Flare Star. Sora dived out the way, barely realising in time he was heading into air. Dismissing Oathkeeper, he grabbed onto the wooden walkway with his right and, the attack passing over his head. He had burns scalding his arms and cheeks, sorer than even the worst sunburn he had ever had. Heaving himself back up, Sora cast Curaga over himself to take the gnawing edge off the pain. He saw Zidane, teeth clenched, pulling himself back to his feet. Kuja was right over him. His hand rose with another spell. Sora would have to be fast but thanks to the Ether he still had plenty of energy for his more powerful attacks. Sonic Blade gave Sora the speed he needed and with Oblivion he cut through Kuja's attack, giving Zidane time to swallow an X-Potion. Kuja had no method to defend himself without magic. He was in range and Sora was pounding him with everything he had. Ars Arcanum was followed by Ragnarok and then Zidane rejoined the battle, daggers gleaming through the air.

"Remember he's a ghost, not a Heartless," Zidane replied. "That makes him different."

"Different. Great."

Sora jumped up, Oathkeeper reappearing in time to crack into the side of Kuja's head while Oblivion hammered into his stomach. Kuja doubled over as Sora's feet retouched the ground and Zidane replaced him, daggers sweeping around in complicated patterns as they tore into Kuja. The two teenagers double-teamed Kuja, coming at him from both sides and all angles. The ghost fell back. Zidane knew what to expect.

"Cast Aeroga on both of us. Hurry!"

Sora managed to shield them both but when Kuja's Ultima spell exploded the Aeroga spells did nothing to protect them. Sora couldn't comprehend the spell's power. It was far beyond the Ultima he used. He and Zidane were thrown through the air, eventually landing flat on their stomachs. Neither had the energy to try and stand. The pain was immense and as Ultima cleared away Kuja loomed up over them, broken and bloody but knowing that holding on a few moments longer would ensure a victory for the Heartless.

Sora struggled to get up but his legs and arms refused to cooperate, turning to jelly the instant he tried to put any weight on them. He looked at Kuja and saw the spell he was preparing before looking at Zidane. "Trance?"

"No. I can't. It's not something I can turn on and off."

Kuja's spell was Holy. It burst into the air. Sora instinctively ducked his head. Everything was silent. He looked up in confusion. His eyes went wide when he realised what had happened.

The other ghosts, Zidane's lost friends, stood around them and absorbed the attack. Sora's mind worked feverishly to make the connections. The Heartless summoned ghosts to fight for them but these ghosts were different. Somehow they knew who they were and what they could do. They were like Sora's old summons. That was the link. That was why Zidane's friends haunted him. Their hearts had been lost but all were too strong to become Heartless. Instead they'd retained something of the people they had once been. It was amazing.

It was Sora's luckiest day.

All eyes turned to Zidane. His face was full of emotion, his eyes deeply determined.

 _Kuja's weak. Finish him._

Sora rolled onto his back. He knew what he had to do. He cast Curaga on Zidane. The blond was revitalised and he stepped forward, passing through the spirits of his friends. He said a single word but Sora couldn't make it out – the silence still dulled everything. Zidane walked up to Kuja, a single blade stabbing deep into the ghost's chest where a heart should have been beating. He pulled it out and Kuja fell backwards, body fading into the air. Zidane stood with his shoulders hunched. He refused to look back at his friends. But the silence had lifted, bringing back his words.

"Thank you. And…and I'm sorry."

"Zidane."

He recognised the voice. His shock at hearing it turned him around. One ghost, the girl from Alexandria, stepped forward and reached out with a pale hand. The cold palm hovered over Zidane's cheek, unable to touch.

"I will always be here waiting for you. You didn't fail us. You're still fighting aren't you? Don't say sorry. Stop worrying. We believe in you."

She had no other words. She and the others faded away. Zidane turned back to where Kuja's ghost had died just as Sora managed to find the energy to stand up. Curaga gave him a boost as well. From behind came a familiar golden glow. The Keyhole's edge was tinged with green, the light drifting in the shape of leaves. Oblivion faded and let Oathkeeper do the work.

It was the same as before. The frozen Keyhole needed more energy in order to be sealed. The Iifa Tree faded away. All Sora could see was the world coming back to life, shaking off the snow and regaining all its faded colours. The last thing he saw was the Iifa Tree coming into bloom before the Keyhole was sealed and Sora's vision was back with his body, deep in the tree. Oathkeeper faded and Sora took a deep breath, the slightly dizzy feeling in his head passing as he turned to Zidane. "You okay?"

He stood alone by the stairs with his back to Sora, eyes cast upwards. "I've been better."

Sora walked over to him. "We should go."

"Yeah."

"You shouldn't hold it in," Sora said, feeling a little uncomfortable. He wasn't use to dealing with big emotional situations. "If you're upset you should just let it out."

"I thought this wasn't the time."

"That's just me." It was a humourless statement.

Zidane headed up to the lift without looking at Sora. "Let's just get out of here."

Sora followed. "Tell me her name."

The pair stopped dead on the lift. It was halfway up before Zidane found his voice. "Dagger. I call her Dagger. Her real name is Garnet. She's the Queen of Alexandria."

Dagger was an odd name but Sora didn't have time to pass comment. Zidane had his hands to his face. His shoulders shook with silent sobs. Sora walked over to him, putting a careful hand on his friend's shoulder.

"The little girl was Eiko and the little Black Mage was Vivi. The Knights were Adelbert Steiner and Beatrix – they guarded Dagger. The Dragoon Knight, the one who had a tail, was Freya. Oh and the other guy we saw here at the tree was Amarant. I kinda got him in a lot of trouble many years ago but I think he forgave me." Bloodshot, streaming eyes finally looked over and met Sora's. "I didn't mean to let them all down."

"You didn't."

"I did. If I hadn't they'd all be travelling around the worlds with me. We'd be together, just like we always were. Instead I'm alone and it's what I deserve."

"There aren't always nice words when it comes to the truth but you know something? You're not alone. So you didn't save every single life. No one can do that. But you shouldn't underestimate your friends. All of them were… are strong enough to still be here. Their hearts aren't gone Zidane." The lift arrived and Sora walked off, leaving Zidane behind. "Every time you win a fight you get a little bit closer to seeing them again. That's what I think."

There was a brief pause. Zidane's footsteps broke through the silence. "You shouldn't have let me start crying. I don't know if I can stop."

"Keep walking and it'll be fine."

Zidane laughed, the sound breaking off into a hiccup. "Doesn't really fit my image."

Sora disappeared through the doorway that led back up the winding path to the exit lift. "That should be the least of your worries."

"When did you get so wise?" Zidane asked, making an effort to hold back the tears as he hurried after Sora.

"I don't think I'm so wise." His voice was heavy and quiet.

"Sora?"

"What is it?"

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." Sora gave a small smile. "It's time to go."

"Yeah, you're right. Let's leave."

Without another word the pair hurried back to the sunlit world outside.

Whatever Kairi had been expecting Tomoyo did not live up to her imaginings. Sora's mother nodded calmly. "Yes, I know. I know about everything that happened." She smiled proudly. "It's a little strange to think of my fifteen-year-old son having so much responsibility resting on his shoulders but somehow I know everything will be just fine."

Kairi frowned in confusion. "Who told you?"

Tomoyo winked. "There's someone else here I think you need to see."

On cue footsteps clomped over the wooden floor. Kairi looked to a curtained doorway towards the back of the room. A hand reached up and pulled the ragged, dark red fabric back. Kairi's breath caught in her chest. Her hands flew to her mouth. Her eyes were suddenly full of tears.

"Is it…is it really you?"


	45. Chapter 45

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Forty-Five

"Kairi my dear child. It's so good to see you again."

Kairi's eyes wavered with tears. In front of her stood a slightly hunched elderly woman, a joyful smile spread across her serene face. It had been over ten years but the woman hadn't aged much at all. Her grey hair was still restrained in a bun. She still wore her simple dress with a white apron and a thick brown scarf around her neck.

Kairi threw herself into her grandmother's arms. "Granny," she was weeping now. "You're alive! I can't believe it. You were the only one I remembered, even when I couldn't remember home. I never forgot the things you told me."

Granny ran a hand over Kairi's hair. "Yes dear. I'm still here, still telling my old stories. It was all thanks to a man named Cid. Back when the Heartless took over Hollow Bastion he found me and took me away on his ship with the other refugees. Then when I was in a place called Traverse Town I met up with a man named Merlin who explained a great deal of things to me. I stayed in the town for a number of years. I lived in the Second District. I had a lovely little apartment with a wonderful book collection. But when the Heartless began attacking that world I decided to do a little travelling and gain my knowledge from experience. I found a group of travellers and they took very good care of me my dear, you needn't worry."

Kairi's eyes still went wide at the thought of her elderly grandmother with her eternally languid expression cruising around the worlds.

"I went to many worlds and heard many stories before I came here a few months ago. Travelling around enabled me to deepen my understanding of many things. It's how I discovered all about your friend Sora." She turned to Donald and Goofy. "I even met your king. Wonderful leader. He spoke very highly of the both of you." Both Donald and Goofy gave impressive blushes. Granny smiled at the pair before going on with her tale. "Then when the refugees of Destiny Islands came to this place I began hearing about children that had gone missing. Your name came up and, well, here we are!"

"Granny," Kairi sniffled, tightening her arms around her grandmother. "I'm so happy you're safe. I never thought I'd see you again."

"I feared the same." Granny pulled back, her eyes travelling over Kairi. "Just look at how you've grown so much. What a beautiful young woman you're becoming."

"There's so much I need to tell you! And so many things I want to know."

Granny gave a knowing wink. "I think there's something in particular you need me to tell you." She paused briefly so she could sit down. "Word travels fast when disaster strikes. I heard that the Keyblade wielder was taken away and no one knows where he's gone." Granny's eyes did not fail to notice the look of pain that crossed Kairi's face. "However I believe I may know the answer."

"Really?" Hope sprung into Kairi, her heart lifting. Without realising it she had grabbed her grandmother's hands in her own, holding them in the air.

"You remember the story about light and dark?"

"Yeah, of course. It's one of my favourites. Sora likes it too."

"But between light and dark is shadow, a grey place. It can mean many things and it has many names but when the door to the light is shut and the darkness reigns, it takes on a terrible twist."

"I don't like the sound've that," Goofy mumbled.

"Sh!" Donald hushed impatiently, clearly intrigued.

Granny continued. "Light, dark and shadow split into three realities. This reality we stand in is that of light. Sora must have somehow been sent to one of the other two. I don't know why. There were always stories on Hollow Bastion of such a thing but it was thought to be merely myth, a story told to scare children into behaving properly. However Merlin believes it is the most likely explanation."

"That's good news and all but how can we get to these other realities?" Donald asked.

"And how can we tell which reality Sora fell into?" Kairi added, feeling some of her excitement pale a little.

"Merlin will know," Granny said. "I'm afraid magic was never my thing, only stories."

"It's alright Granny. You've given us the lead we needed! Thank you so much!"

"Where can we find Merlin?" Donald asked.

"He was here not too long ago," Granny said. "But he said he wanted to move on to other worlds. He's very interested in all types of magic after all."

"There sure are a lotta places he coulda gone to," Goofy said with a thoughtful frown. "I wonder where we should start lookin'."

"Kairi?" It was her mother. Her tone was one of forced calm. "You aren't going to stay here now?"

Kairi felt terribly guilty as she looked at her parents, Sora's mother and her grandmother. "I can't. I have to help."

Granny nodded. "Absolutely my dear. I wouldn't want to stop you." That smile of hers was back again as she pulled Kairi close and whispered in her ear: "I recognise young love when I see it."

"You'll be careful, won't you?" Her father pleaded, apparently not noticing the furious blush over Kairi's cheeks. "And if you ever need us we'll always be here for you."

"And don't worry yourself sick about Sora. It's hard, I know, but that boy of mine always had a talent at getting in and out of trouble." Tomoyo grinned, the expression perhaps a little false. "One way or another he'll get back here in one piece."

"Of course he will," Kairi said. Her hands curled into fists determinedly. "I'm just going to give him a helping hand this time."

After all, she certainly owed him.

"Kairi, we'll go find Leon and the others," Donald said. "Goofy and I can come back for you later. You should stay here and catch up."

"Alright."

"See ya later Kairi! It sure was nice to meet everyone." Goofy left with a wave, Donald hurrying after.

"Now Kairi you come here and tell your Granny everything that's happened since we got separated."

"Oh that'll take years!" Kairi's father said, earning laughter from the others.

"Well then," Granny patted a chair. "You'd better get started dear."

Sora let Zidane tell the others to leave Gaia behind. He went straight to Yuna's room. He found Tifa there, sitting by Yuna whose previously healthy skin was now an ashen shade. Tifa looked at him, shaking her head. "There isn't much time."

Sora didn't reply. He joined Tifa at Yuna's side, reaching out and brushing a few locks of brown hair off her clammy forehead. "She's cold."

"I know. I can't seem to warm her up." Tifa looked at Sora, her face uneasy as if she wasn't sure she should broach the subject. "Are you alright?"

"Not really."

"He was your friend."

Sora's glance was sharp, silencing. "Not now Tifa." Sharpness turned into something closer to desperation. "Please, not yet."

"Alright," she conceded as stood up. "I'll be on the bridge. We'll be at Spira very shortly. We'll survey the world from above, take whatever precautions the world demands and get to Yuna's village."

"Okay."

Tifa left quietly. Sora didn't fail to notice the worried look she gave him but pretended he hadn't seen it. He sat down next to Yuna and picked up Valefor. The toy didn't come to life. Sora didn't really expect it to. He was starting to think he shouldn't expect anything. Life was going from one extreme to another lately, more so than before. He'd resolved to be strong about it all but…

 _Murder wasn't something you expected to do._

…He was tired. Sora put his head in his hands. There was no time for rest. There was no time to give in and just cry like his heart seemed to want. He had to keep going for Yuna's sake. Besides, Sora reaffirmed to himself as Tifa came back with numerous supplies a few minutes later, he would never sacrifice someone in order to gain something.

…unless that someone happened to be himself.

Or Riku.

Spira was covered in storms. Thunder and lightning vied for the more impressive explosions and rain as cold as ice never ceased its torrential downpour. The island of Besaid was under siege. The sea was attempting to swallow it whole. Already the collapsing village was waist deep in water. Sora was giving Yuna a piggyback, Valefor tucked safely away in a pocket inside his thick jacket. Tifa and Barret accompanied him. The three of them waded through the water, no longer attempting to stay dry. It was pointless. The water got through everything, including their jackets. Sora was already entertaining dark thoughts about getting another voice-stealing cold as he led the way to the temple. He could feel the storm waters dragging at his legs, trying to pull him under. He didn't dare let himself slip. Yuna's sleep was deeper than ever, her breathing terrifyingly slow. If she went under the water Sora feared she would drown. Time was growing short.

"I ain't never complainin' about a little rain again!" Barret hollered over the storm. "This is insane!"

"It's the Heartless!" Tifa yelled back. "They make every world they freeze uninhabitable."

They made it to the temple. Barret managed to push the massive doors open, straining every muscle to do so. Inside the flood damage was minimal but water gushed in until Barret pushed the doors shut behind them. The temple, with its odd statues and few doorways, smelt of damp and decay. No one had been in there for a very long time. The air was freezing and in their rain-soaked clothes it wasn't long before the group was shivering. Only Yuna seemed unaffected despite being wrapped in numerous layers of sopping wet clothing. There were several unlit torches in the temple so Sora lit them with Firaga, giving them some much needed warmth. The question now, of course, was what should they do.

There was a long set of narrow stairs leading up to a door. Something about its central placement made it stand out and Sora, Yuna still on his back, walked up to the door and pushed against the sodden wood. It opened with a groan, revealing a perfectly dry yet terribly musty room beyond.

"Think that's the way?" Tifa called from below.

"Yeah." And Sora walked on.

"Temples hm. Never had much faith in gods," Barret mused as he followed his younger companions.

Tifa hurried up in last place but it was clear the instant the chamber's door gave a groan that she wasn't going to make it. Sora and Barret looked back just in time for the door to slam shut, plunging them into darkness. A dull knocking came from the other side. "Are you guys alright?" Tifa's barely audible voice came through. She thumped again. "It's no good, I can't open the door."

"We'll go on ahead. We can call us with the PHS if we need you," Sora called back.

"Alright but hurry. The temple's roof looks like it won't stay up much longer. It's leaking pretty badly."

Barret's voice rumbled through the pitch black. "Sora, got a light?"

"Hold on." He reached out with a hand, banging into Barret. "Can you take Yuna for a minute?"

"Yeah."

Once Yuna was tucked safely in Barret's arms, Sora pulled his jacket off. He removed Valefor from his pocket, slipping it into the back of his pants. He gave the jacket a good shake before calling Oblivion out and wrapping the clothing around the tip. Firaga set it alight, turning the Keyblade into a guttering torch. The light it cast was meagre and did very little to penetrate the shadows but it was better than nothing.

"Look, there's stairs," Barret said, nodding his head in towards them. "Goin' first Sora?"

He nodded and headed down carefully. His makeshift torch was doing little to reach beyond a metre so the placement of the stairs was mostly guesswork. Thankfully they were even and gently sloped, both Sora and Barret making it to the bottom of two flights without mishap.

"I wonder what this place was," Sora said, his curiosity overriding his unhappiness. "It seems weird, like it was special."

"Think the Keyhole's here?" Barret asked as they headed for an open doorway.

"No, I don't think so. Maybe Yuna will…" Something caught the light, taking Sora's attention with it. In the doorway something shone. It looked like a glass ball. Sora reached out to pick it up. It glowed a bright blue and was as cold as stone. Sora tossed it in the air a few times. "I wonder what it is."

"Yuna'll tell us."

"Yeah, she will," Sora said, catching the sphere once again before shoving it into a pocket. "We'd better keep going."

They plunged through the dark corridor, ignoring the screeching silence in their ears as they turned a corner. It was then that they saw another corridor leading off the one they were in. Taking it they came to a large hole in the ground. Sora's torch did nothing to penetrate the abyss so instead he pointed the blazing jacket at the chasm and sent the Keyblade away. His coat fell, revealing a short and jumpable distance. The fire went out but Sora's Turtle's Paradise shirt soon made another torch. Thankfully he'd put a longer sleeved white t-shirt on underneath the red one when he'd learnt of Spira's awful weather – Sora was done with being freezing cold. He jumped down first, landing in a crouch. Looking back up he wondered exactly how he and Barret were going to get Yuna down.

"I'm gonna jump. Back up!"

Sora did as he was told and Barret landed heavily in front of him. Yuna stayed as still as ever when they began walking forward again, more stairs leading into the darkness Sora's torch failed to pierce. That was when other lights began to glow, white specks encircled by multicoloured lights. They seemed to be making a sound; single harmonic notes of different pitch depending on the colour of the tail. Sora reached out to grab one but it swept out of his reach.

"Uh, Sora…"

Sora turned and saw the lights were bobbing around Yuna. The whole chamber seemed to be lighting up, the details coming into view. The stairs led to a different kind of door, an odd symbol carved into it. It opened up and more of the lights came rushing out. Sora could feel something squirming in his back pocket. Valefor fell out, lights bursting out of the plush surface and rushing into the next chamber. The toy was gone. Sora and Barret shared a look. Their destination was obvious.

"You take her," Barret said, passing Yuna back into Sora's arms. "I get the feelin' this is more your kinda thing."

"'Cause I hear voices?" Sora said, laughing a little as he shifted Yuna into a comfortable position. "That makes me the one to deal with all things bizarre."

"Yeah. I ain't gonna lie."

"Thanks, I appreciate the truth."

The chamber's door shut the instant Sora went through with Yuna. The room was alight with the countless glowing lights, their endless waltz creating a hymn. The voices, male and female,rose and fell as they created their atmosphere of arcane, grand power. The lights around Yuna were growing in number.

"This will take some time."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"No. Just stay."

"What about the others? The temple is flooding."

"They should return to the ship. Tell them."

Sora did as he was told, calling Tifa and Barret via the PHS. Neither was happy but Tifa seemed glad to know she wouldn't have to start treading water as she waited. Barret was a little ponderous as to how he was going to get back up but Sora was pretty certain he heard Barret climbing. The amount of swearing suggested he was having trouble but eventually all went quiet aside from the singing lights.

Sora sat down, Yuna's head resting on his lap. He leaned against a wall, watching the lights. The darkness above made every light look like a shooting star.

"What are they?"

"We are the Fayth."

"Faith?"

"Fayth. We and the Summoners bring the Aeons to Spira."

"And if Valefor forms a bond with Yuna she'll be okay?"

"It might not be possible. Will she be staying on this world?"

"No."

The figure of a child dressed in an elaborately designed purple cloak appeared. "I'm sorry," he said, stepping forward. His voice was strange, young and yet too old for such a small figure. A hood obscured his face, making it featureless. "I misunderstood. If she had been staying on Spira she could have become a summoner. But if she's leaving and still used aeons this would happen again, bond or no."

"So what do you do?"

"Close of the bond until she returns home to become a fully-fledged summoner. Perhaps have her forget anything ever happened so she doesn't get too upset."

Sora sighed. "She'll miss her toy."

"Can't you make her one?" The child of the Fayth sounded amused.

"Hey, I can't sew!"

"It'd make Yuna happy."

Sora frowned. Kairi always did the sewing back home. He'd spent hours watching her intricate work when rain had kept them inside. It was one of the few times he'd managed to sit still. Could he remember how she did it? "I guess I could give it a go."

"Good. It won't be long now. When she awakens her memory will recall nothing of Valefor although, as you said, she will miss her toy."

The child faded away and Sora returned his attention to the light show. It was relaxing and, thanks to the song, very soothing. His thoughts were idling around when he suddenly recalled the sphere he had found in the temple's hallway. He held it up, noticing something different in the centre. Peering closely, he watched as the mess of colours swallow up the whole sphere and before he really realised it, Sora was watching a video. It showed the hallway, far brighter than when Sora had walked down it. It appeared empty but two voices and footsteps faded in, the sound just audible over the song.

"We really shouldn't be doing this. There could be some serious repercussions ya?"

"Relax Wakka." Sora jerked at the sound of the familiar name. "We've got to find the Summoner and make sure nothing bad happened."

Footsteps came from the sphere and two pairs of legs. Sora watched closely, trying to make out the faces of the two young men he could see. One was blond and one had bright ginger hair. The blond was in the lead. Even though both had their backs to Sora, one's identity was unmistakable. It was Wakka, that hair was unmistakable. But he was so much older than Sora remembered. The voice was deeper and the body taller but the hair was identical and the clothes were very similar. It was unbelievable. How was this possible? And the other young man in the sphere; he too was older than Sora. The more Sora looked at him the less he needed to be told the name. But the older Wakka said it anyway.

"I know there's a lot of stuff you don't remember but you can't use that as an excuse for ever Tidus."

Sora almost dropped the sphere. It was Tidus but he was older, perhaps seventeen or eighteen when he should've been younger than Sora. What was this? Wakka and Tidus were in the sphere, older than they had been when Sora had last seen them. But what was weirder – their age or their location? The images faded away but Sora's mind was whirring.

 _Confusion upon confusion. One answer creates countless new questions. Maybe I have the answer. Then again, I probably don't. But it's something, isn't it?_

Yuna stirred, rolling over and yawning. "Is it morning?" she said quietly, rubbing her eyes. She looked around, a frown breaking through the haze of sleep. "Where am I?"

"Home," Sora answered a little slowly, tearing his eyes off the now dull sphere and shoving it back in his pocket. "You're in the temple on Besaid."

She sat up sharply. "Home? Why?"

Sora stood up, pulling Yuna to her feet with him. "You were ill. You had to come here to get better. It was the only way."

"What was wrong with me?"

"You don't remember?" Sora took her hand and she obediently followed him out of the Chamber of Fayth.

"Hm, I remember… I remember when we were on Tifa's world. Did I fall asleep?"

"Yes."

The hallway before the Chamber of Fayth was brighter than before. A symbol glowed on the lift, indicating it was now working. Yuna walked along without commenting. Sora squeezed her hand, smiling at her as they stepped onto the lift. "I'm so glad you're okay. I was really worried. You wouldn't wake up."

That was when it all swarmed up, all his worry and distress and pain. It wasn't all about Yuna. Riku's death still cast a very long shadow. But never mind that now. Sora got on his knees and pulled Yuna into a hug, focusing as much as he could on his relief to keep other emotions, namely anguish, from smothering him.

"Don't ever scare me like that again."

Yuna returned the hug. "Promise." She gasped suddenly. "Oh no!"

"What? What is it?"

"I lost my Valefor plushie! I remember him falling off the ship when I saw you and the others fighting all those Heartless."

Sora was amazed that the Fayth had not only taken memories away but implanted a whole new one. The lift came to a stop, the hallway brightly lit like it had been in the sphere's recording. Yuna was crying but Sora gently tugged her onwards. "Don't worry. I'm sure together we can fix something up."

"But my father gave me that one. Won't he be angry?"

"Of course not. He'll understand and he'll be really happy to know you loved the toy so much."

Yuna seemed to pick up on Sora's line of thought. "I don't know if I'm very good at sewing." She rubbed the tears away. "But I remember what Valefor looks like."

"After we've…I've sealed the Keyhole we'll see what we can do okay?"

Yuna was too busy looking around to listen. "Wow, this is the Cloister of Trials. My father came here on his pilgrimage to defeat Sin." Sora didn't know what she was talking about but he listened anyway. "I suppose I shouldn't really be here but I'm kinda glad. It's so amazing to think there was a place like this in the temple and I never even saw it before! Hm, but I'd better not let Wakka or Lulu know 'cause they might be angry if they find out I came in here before I started training."

"You have a friend named Wakka?" Sora said as they went up the stairs. He hoped he sounded casual.

"Yup. He's like a big brother to me. When the Heartless came he said he was going to help the other villagers fight them. He told me to stay in the temple. I don't know how long I was there but when I went outside Tifa was there and she took me to Hollow Bastion. I don't know what happened to Wakka or Lulu or the other people in the village. I hope they're okay."

"Did you ever know anyone named Tidus?"

Yuna shook her head after a moment's thought. "No, I don't remember anyone with that name. Why?"

"Just wondering."

Yuna bought it and didn't say another word. They left the Cloister of Trials, as Yuna called it, and stepped into the slightly flooded Temple. Sora reached for the PHS, called the ship and waited to be picked up.

One problem down, one to go.


	46. Chapter 46

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Forty-Six

Yuna received numerous hugs and giddily happy welcome backs from the others on board the ship, all of which she took with a very calm approach. She seemed a little bewildered too, not sure why the others were looking at her with so much joy in their eyes and smiles. She was, however, especially happy when Zidane picked her up and span her around.

"It's so good to see you!" She said, giggling.

"I can say the same about you," Zidane replied.

"You're okay now?"

"Perfectly fine."

"Great."

When she finally freed herself, Yuna realised Sora was missing. Tifa and Zidane noticed as well.

"He hasn't talked about it yet," Zidane said in a quiet voice. "I tried to get him to tell me but he got kinda cagey."

"That's all I got as well," Tifa replied. "We shouldn't let him brew. It won't do him any good."

"What's wrong?" Yuna asked, feeling unease weighing her down. She gave an almighty frown when the adults all shared that 'perhaps we shouldn't tell her' look. "I hate it when you do that," she pouted. "It's not fair."

"You can go and find him in a minute," Tifa said. "First we need to find the Keyhole. Yuna, where are the most important places on Spira?"

Still annoyed that no one was telling her the truth, Yuna nevertheless starting thinking aloud. "Well there's Luca. That's where the really big Blitzball stadium is. Um…and then there's the Calm Lands where Sin was once defeated…"

"Sin?"

Yuna shrugged. "It's a long story. Sin's a punishment for the sins of all people on Spira…"

"Okay don't worry about that at the moment," Tifa interrupted. "Any other places?"

"Zanarkand. It's the place where summoners get the Final Aeon so they can defeat Sin."

"Sin again. Do you think we'll be attacked by this…thing?" Zidane asked.

"No. My father defeated Sin so it'll be okay."

"But Sin's something very important to this world right?"

"Uh huh."

"So then we go to the places involved with Sin," Tifa said. "The Calm Lands and then Zanarkand."

The others began discussing various boring strategies so Yuna left, intent upon finding Sora. She found him in the kitchen, sitting cross-legged on the work surface with piles of clothing dumped around him. He seemed to be sorting through them.

"Whatcha doing?"

Sora started slightly, not realising he wasn't alone. He didn't turn around immediately. His hands reached up to his face before he looked over his shoulder. "Hi Yuna. I'm just trying to find the right colours for your new Valefor."

"Ooh let me help!" She climbed up next to him, sitting at his side. She looked up at him, noticing a strange look on his face. It was an expression Yuna didn't like. "Why are you sad?"

"When we were on Gaia, Zidane's world, I had to kill a Heartless that looked like someone I knew." And just like that Sora opened up.

"Looked like?"

"For a while I thought he was my friend, my best friend. But now I know he wasn't. It couldn't have been the Riku I used to know. If it was, if I really had killed him, I think I'd feel worse."

"But you don't look very happy."

"Yeah, I know. But I can still function. I can still think and move and not feel like I'm about to fall apart. I'm sad but not devastated. If I had killed Riku, and not just a Heartless, nothing would've made me move. I think I would've given up and died, because how could I live with the guilt of killing him? But I don't feel like that at all. I say 'I killed Riku' and I don't feel sick or anything, I just feel…nothing. Does that make any sense?"

Yuna's forehead scrunched up as she thought hard. "You mean, um, you know the Heartless you killed wasn't your friend because you're not sad enough?"

"Exactly." He laughed morosely, twisting a t-shirt in his hands. "It sounds crazy."

"Maybe. I think I understand. You're still sad though because the Heartless looked like your friend."

"I think maybe once he was my friend. But that doesn't make sense because I feel so numb inside."

It was easy, talking to Yuna. She was a great listener, not trying to give him any advice but somehow knowing how to prompt more of the story from him. As the pair sorted through the pile of clothes, separating them into useful and useless, Sora shared everything with her.

"If he really was Riku I should be devastated – even if he was a Heartless. But I'm not. I've just accepted it like I knew it was going to happen. But he was my best friend and where I left him, behind that door, he couldn't have escaped alone. But whoever it was I killed looked and sounded just like him." Sora put his head in his hands. "I'm so confused." He closed his eyes with a sigh. "It never used to be so complicated. It was just kill the Heartless and seal the Keyhole. Now there's all this crazy stuff mixed in too."

"Do you need some rest?"

"Probably."

"Why don't you get some sleep? I can start cutting out the patterns for my new Valefor."

Sora lifted his head. "No, I'm alright. Besides I've gotta go find the Keyhole soon." He reached out and took her hand. "Thanks Yuna." For the first time in a while Sora gave a real smile. "That's made me feel better."

"Are you okay now?"

"No, but I think I will be soon. I just need a little more time to sort it all out in here," Sora tapped his heart and then his head.

Conversation switched to sewing. Both decided it would be a learning process but Sora assured his little friend he'd learned from a master. Of course there was one large problem…

"I wonder where we can find some thread and needles," Yuna pondered. "Do you think there are any on the ship?"

"Let's go find some." Sora figured the search would take his mind off other things. "Where should we start?"

And thus began a ship-wide hunt for threads and needles. The adults on the bridge lost track of their conversation when the pair came through, laughing at jokes only they shared but turning up nothing. The youngest members of the party left without so much as a word of explanation, leaving the adults quite bemused.

"Well at least they both seem cheerful," Galuf said. "That's something right?"

"Indeed," Red answered. "However their help rather than their unannounced oddities would be more useful."

"Oh Red leave them alone," Tifa chided. "We're not really in any rush at the moment. We could all use the time to relax a little."

"That works for me," Zidane said, sitting on top of a table. "We've got a few locations lined up so let's just worry about it all tomorrow."

"Luca, the Calm Lands and Zanarkand. We're going to fly around the world to create a map," Galuf said, walking over to the ship's controls. "It'll be tricky with this weather. Red and I did a few scans while you were on Besaid and discovered this storm covers the entire world. There are no breaks in it at all. We may have to pull out of the atmosphere if it gets too rough. Dunno about you but I get a little airsick when it gets too blustery."

"We also need to think about our next move," Barret said. "Where next? Your world Galuf?"

"I don't think we need to worry about my world. Haven't you noticed a pattern? Every world has given us something we needed. I don't think mine has anything to offer. It can wait until later."

"Awright. So, back to Hollow Bastion? We sorta left that in a mess."

"No, I think we should keep things simple and head back to Atlantica. Terra will be able to give us report on recent Heartless activity. After that we should probably consider breaking the barrier around Disney Castle and Destiny Islands," Tifa answered.

"What about Traverse Town? That's where we picked Sora up. I don't think he sealed it before we found him," Zidane added.

Tifa clearly hadn't thought of that. "Okay, that's another place we'll have to stop by. To be honest I'd like to return to Hollow Bastion as well but we all know how hard it was to fight our way out of there. So, no matter what, once we're finished with Spira we are going to Atlantica. We can figure out our next move based on any information Terra might have for us."

"There's one other thing we still need to do by the way," Barret said. "Sora still don't know about Reina."

Zidane looked up. He could feel the sudden tension in the air. "What about Reina? What happened?"

Tifa's lips quivered. "Oh Zidane I'm so sorry. I forgot you didn't know either."

"Didn't know what?" He pushed himself off the table. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Wait here. I'll tell you in a minute."

Tifa didn't relish what was to come but she knew it had to be done. She found Sora and Yuna in the kitchen, the pair of them talking about all kinds of things as they cut up a whole range of t-shirts.

"And when she gave her presentation to the class she showed all of them my old uniform. It was one of those sailor suit designs. I was so embarrassed because she'd used one of her teddy bears as a model. I was kinda small when I was four. The girls, of course, thought it was the cutest thing they'd ever seen but the boys? They didn't let me live it down. Anyway, I didn't talk to her for a few days after she did it. I also didn't talk to my mom because she took pictures."

"Aw I wanna see the pictures!"

Sora poked his tongue out. "Ha, they're safe and sound on my world where no one will ever find them. I stole them from mom and hid them. No one knows where and that's how it's gonna stay."

"They're buried below the mushrooms in some cave called the Secret Place, right?"

Sora looked at her in complete and utter shock. "How did you know that?"

The little girl shrugged but she couldn't keep the devilish grin off her face. "You talk in your sleep. You talk loads!"

"I do not!"

"Yeah you do! When you were asleep for three days you said loads of weird stuff. First you talked about cakes and something about not putting any sprinkles on them…"

Sora blushed. "What? I have a thing about sprinkles. They get stuck in your teeth and…"

"Anyway then you started talking about something I didn't understand 'cause you weren't being very clear and you kept saying," and here Yuna tried to mimic Sora's voice, "'No one will find them! No one looks below the mushrooms. The pictures will be safe!'"

"I did not say that!"

Yuna looked outraged. She stood on the table, hands on hips. "Yes you did that's exactly what you said over and over!"

"That's embarrassing."

"You also talked about a blanket."

"A what?"

"Uh huh, yeah, you seemed upset 'cause it had gone missing."

"I am never sleeping again. Never."

"Oh but I like listening to you! You sound so funny!"

"Never sleeping"

As much as Tifa wanted to leave them to whatever it was they were doing, she couldn't. "Sora." He turned to face her, an amused but slightly sheepish look on her face. "I need to talk to you." And with those words she killed his mood.

"I'll be back in a bit Yuna. Just forget everything I ever said in my sleep. It's all nonsense. None of it matters."

"Sora you're no fun at all."

Tifa didn't say anything as she led him back to the bridge. When they got there Zidane met them in the middle. "You gonna tell me what it is you failed to mention before?"

Tifa didn't beat around the bush. "Reina died."

Both teenagers were struck dumb. She said it so quickly both weren't sure they'd heard her right. Sora spoke first.

"Died? When? How?"

"It was back on Hollow Bastion, in the Great Hall. Aurora stole her heart." Tifa gave them a moment to digest the information. "I'm sorry we didn't tell you before but things kept happening one after another and there was never a spare moment to tell you. I'm sorry, really sorry."

Another victim. It affected Sora less than he thought it would. He hadn't known Reina very well and, honestly, death was becoming something of a familiarity. He still felt sorry for the loss of life but it wasn't piercing like…

Like the Riku who might've been but might not have been.

Zidane took the news a little less well. He said he needed to be alone. He just walked out. Or, at least, he tried. Wind pummelled the ship, knocking it sideways. Everyone went skidding across the deck except Galuf who managed to cling to the helm. The storm outside was picking up.

"That's it. I'm pulling out for now. We'll spend the night in orbit."

Sora and Zidane's eyes met. Zidane broke contact first. "I'm going to my room. I'll see you all tomorrow."

"We should all get some rest," Tifa said. "Tomorrow will be a long day."

"Yeah, another one," Barret retorted.

"And after that it'll be a long trip home," Red said, padding his way off the bridge. "But at least it won't be as long as last time. A day at most."

"That's long enough thanks," Galuf muttered. "You try piloting for that long."

Barret gave him a look. "We all take turns and y'know it."

"Can I?" Sora asked hopefully.

Everyone responded unanimously. "No."

Sora crossed his arms. "Man, you'd think Donald had been talking to all of you."

"Whatever," Barret replied. "I ain't lettin' a kid pilot this ship. But I'll tell ya what I will let you do."

"Yeah?" The hope was back in Sora's voice.

"You can go make dinner."

He returned to the kitchen, grumbling all the way, and found Yuna still cutting up the fabrics. "Is everything alright?" she asked. "The ship fell and I almost went too but it was okay. I tidied up really fast huh?"

"Yeah, you sure did."

"Are you going to help me?"

"I will later. I'm making dinner. Where's the food?"

Yuna directed him to a large freezer at the back of the kitchen. Inside were large amounts of pre-packed frozen meals. Sora picked out a variety of meats and pasta dishes then put them in the oven. Soon the kitchen was full of the rich scent of food. Sora's stomach gave a lethargic grumble. He didn't remember the last time he'd eaten. Somehow it seemed unimportant. Humming a random tune while he gathered plates, Sora hurried around the kitchen. Yuna helped him, calling the rest of the ship's crew when Sora was done getting the food out of the oven. The whole group gathered around the other table, the one free of clothes. Dinner was a quiet affair. No one had much to say although Galuf did mention that Spira's weather was getting so bad soon it would be impossible for any of them to go out in it. Other than that there was nothing to say so once dinner was over everyone turned in for the night.

Sora had managed to save himself an extra large t-shirt (probably one of Barret's) and a pair of baggy shorts to use for pyjamas. He'd just changed into them when Yuna, blanket and all, came marching back from her room.

"We're having a sleepover!"

"W-we are? But I thought I talked too much in my sleep?"

"You do but we're having one anyway."

Yuna threw her blanket next to Sora and scrambled up after it. She lay down, stretching and almost taking up the whole of Sora's makeshift bed. "Zidane gave me something," she announced once she was settled (leaving Sora about a third of the whole bed). She pulled out the ribbon. "I can feel a lot of power in it. He asked me if I'd be able to use it and you know what, I think I probably can."

"That's great Yuna. The Holy spell is in there and if you can use it you'll be really helping us."

She gasped excitedly. "Really? Me?"

"Really."

"Wow. I'll do my best!"

"I know you will."

They were both quiet for a while, settling down to sleep. Sora was glad they hadn't stayed on Spira. Destiny Islands had had its storms but nothing like the one building up on Spira. Galuf was right – before long they simply wouldn't be able go anywhere.

"Yuna?"

"Yeah?"

"What's Sin?"

"Sin is…well Sin's like a really big monster. It's way bigger than the Heartless. Um, Sin's there because a thousand years ago people got so lazy, relying on machina…"

"Machina?"

"Oh, machines. Yeah, anyway so Sin came to punish the people and to make them atone for their laziness."

"Wasn't that a thousand years ago?"

Yuna shrugged. "Yeah and Sin's gone. My father defeated him and brought the Calm."

Sora sighed in relief. "Good. The last thing I wanna do is fight with something bigger than the Heartless."

"There's no way to defeat Sin unless you've got the Final Aeon."

"Final Aeon?"

"Yeah. That's why summoners go to Zanarkand. The Final Aeon is there."

Sora pulled a blanket up to his chest. "This is making my head ache."

Yuna poked him with a giggle. "You don't have to worry about Sin. My Daddy took care of him."

"You must be proud of him."

"Oh yeah! But…but I miss him too." Yuna rolled over, her back facing Sora. "When Summoners defeat Sin they die."

"They die? It's like a sacrifice?"

"Yeah."

"That doesn't seem fair."

"But if you can save all the people of Spira by doing that, by dying I mean, then I think it's all right."

Sora didn't agree but he didn't argue. "Every world has its different problem. Other than the Heartless I mean."

"Life's weird."

"It sure is," Sora laughed. "Good night Yuna."

"Night Sora. If you talk at all I'll kick you 'til you wake up."

"Yeah well if you snore I'll poke you right back."

They fell silent.

 _Silent._

 _It was always silent but there was still something in the air, something that threatened many terrible things._

 _He looked down. Standing on the sea again, right by the beach. This time there was no snow, no ice. He stood on water, looking at a beach that would be warm when the night came to an end and day dawned. And on that beach, the place of his childhood…_

 _Blood. Blood everywhere._

 _And on that beach, in that blood, three figures stood with their backs to him. Did he know them?_

 _"Do I know you?"_

 _"Of course you know us," the figures say. "Light, Dark and the place in between. We're in all of them, in different guises."_

 _"Different…guises?"_

 _"Friends, enemies…"_

 _The words from an old dream came back, unbidden. "Are they really so important?"_


	47. Chapter 47

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Forty-Seven

"Sh."

Something was incessantly digging into his side. With an unintelligible mumble he slapped the poking away with a sleepy hand.

"You keep saying weird stuff!"

He was not opening his eyes. No way. He'd only just closed them!

"Fine. If you're going to go back to sleep you could at least stay quiet."

Great. That was it. He was awake and there was no going back to sleep. Sora opened his eyes and glared at the ceiling. How dare it be there in his sight when he was meant to be asleep? "Yuna did you have to be so loud?"

The little girl made an offended sound as she poked him again with her small feet. "Me? Me loud? You're the one saying things in your sleep and waking me up. Meanie!"

He sat up, untangling himself from the blankets. "Sorry. I had a strange dream." He stretched with an almighty yawn. "And now I'm hungry. Want anything?"

Sora buzzed around the kitchen, grabbing all sorts of bits and bobs to eat and drink. Yuna eventually got up and picked a cake for herself, grinning cheekily when Sora told her cakes did not make a healthy breakfast. Eventually Tifa came in, telling them that the ship was about to go to Zanarkand.

"Can I come?" Yuna asked. "I wanna see Zanarkand."

"No sweetie I don't think you can come this time. It's dangerous out there. Galuf and Red still aren't sure how we're going to walk around in the weather. We don't even know if the ship can land."

"So what're we gonna do?" Sora asked while he chewed on a muffin. Yuna's breakfast example was a hard one to ignore. "We need to get down there somehow."

"Galuf's gonna get the ship as close to the largest structure in Zanarkand. It's a bit of a mess down there. There's not much left standing but there's one building that seems to be mostly in one piece. We're aiming for that one. We'll look inside for the Keyhole and if we don't find it we'll move on."

"Ah well," Sora popped the last of the muffin into his mouth. "At least it's not snowing."

"That's the attitude!"

Sora grinned. "Guess I'd better find some good rainy day clothes huh?"

"Just don't use anything that I need for Valefor!" Yuna ordered.

Sora paused and then said: "Like I'd ever wear something the same colour as Valefor!"

Somehow Sora, Barret and Red made it into Zanarkand's huge dome. The storm outside had picked up a terrifying pace, the rain lashing down so heavily walking through it was a painful venture. Sora pulled his hood down, rubbing the patches on his head that had been struck the worst. Thankfully his thick winter clothing kept him relatively protected, as it did for Barret. But poor Red was especially bruised, given his total lack of clothing. Still the three made it into a long hallway with several sets of stairs safely enough. Despite the ground being littered with debris the roof was thankfully intact, keeping the weather safely outside.

There were pyreflies of every colour everywhere, singing sad notes as they flew through the air. Sora reached out with a hand, watching as they dodged around him. They really were beautiful, if perhaps a little eerie as they lit up the dead city's hallway.

"It's strange."

Sora turned to Red. "The lights you mean?"

"No, the Heartless."

Sora looked around, frowning. "What Heartless?"

"Exactly."

It was a good point. There wasn't a single Heartless lurking anywhere. Strange. Sora decided to push on, walking up the stairs towards a doorway at the top. If there weren't any Heartless, unusual as that was, they could at least do their job a little faster.

The doors at the top of the stairs were open, revealing a long set of stairs going down. The pyreflies didn't seem to go any further and that meant the light ended with them. Sora shrugged a bag off his back and pulled out a torch. This time they had come prepared to deal with dark places. Thankfully the torch still worked despite the atrocious weather and Sora flicked it on, the powerful beam of white light piercing the gloom ahead. Nothing jumped out to attack. So far so good.

"We goin' down?" Barret asked, pulling out his own torch.

"Looks like it," Sora replied and began walking down.

"I wonder why the pyreflies don't follow," Red said, taking up the middle position. "Their numbers are so dense out there you'd think they'd spread out."

"Mebbe we're gonna find our missin' Heartless down 'ere," Barret replied from the rear, his voice echoing around the stairwell. "Or mebbe they know sumthin' we don't."

"But what is this place?" Sora asked. "Yuna said Zanarkand has been abandoned for almost one thousand years. She said it's where summoners come to gain the power to defeat this Sin thing. But how big can one monster get?"

"Sora, those are the kind of questions you really shouldn't ask."

"Huh? Why not Red?"

"Because chances are you'll find out and regret ever wondering."

"Oh." Sora thought for a moment. "Yeah, that's about right. Forget I said anything."

The stairs led them into a strange chamber. There was something resembling a television screen at the back of the room but it wasn't switched on. A door to the left was open, leading deeper into wherever they were. The air was still, smelling slightly musty with age. It was like breathing in ancient history, although it was history that confused rather than awed Sora. The party's footsteps echoed loudly in the stone chamber, kicking dust into the air. No one had been to this place in a long time. It was cold and dark. Sora wondered what could have possibly been here, lost in this sad place, to help defeat the thing known as Sin.

Tifa was sitting on the bridge trying to get a call through to Atlantica. It wasn't working at all, the strength of Spira's storm killing all signals. She sighed and sat back. Looked like their return would be unannounced. Tifa just hoped that Terra hadn't been trying to reach them and warn them of any possible dangers. They'd been gone for a long time now. So much could've happened in that time. Tifa reached for her coffee, sipping the hot liquid thoughtfully as she gazed at the scanner readouts. She didn't need to worry about the future when the present had enough issues. The power of the storm seemed to have levelled off but it was bad enough.

"There's not an umbrella in existence that could stand up to that," Zidane commented, reading over her shoulder.

"I've seen some bad weather in my years but wow," Galuf whistled. "This place takes the biscuit."

Tifa looked at the pair of them. "Is that why neither of you would go out there?"

Zidane pointed a finger upwards. "Can you hear that?" The rain was smashing into the ship; the sound like nails being driven into steel. "I might be going through a phase of teenage angst but I am not insane."

"Gotta hand it to the kid," Galuf laughed. "He's honest."

"And what's your excuse?" Tifa demanded.

"What's yours?" Galuf shot back.

Tifa swallowed her coffee. "Touché."

Yuna came running onto the bridge, her eyes full of tears. Tifa hurried to her side. "What's wrong?"

Yuna hiccupped, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Something doesn't feel very good."

Tifa's hand was on Yuna's forehead. "Hm, you're not feverish."

"Not me. Outside. I don't like it."

"Don't worry darling," Galuf said, smiling reassuringly. "The storm won't hurt anyone. It's just a lot of water."

"No, it's not that!" Yuna was getting frustrated with her inability to express herself. "Something's bad and I don't like how it feels. I feel really sad."

Zidane went to the scanners, fingers flying over the keyboard. "I'm searching for Heartless. Nothing's… Whoa. Whoa. Holy…"

"What?" Tifa cut in, taking Yuna's hand and guiding her to Zidane's side.

"Heartless."

"How many?" Galuf said.

"One."

"What? Just one?" Tifa looked at the readouts. "Oh."

"Yeah. Like I said. Whoa. One."

Yuna stood on tiptoes. Her eyes looked at the screen, the view showing the city of Zanarkand. She gasped. "That's Sin! I told you it was something bad!"

Zidane squinted. "Is that a city on its back?"

"There's no way we can take that thing on. Is it really a Heartless?" Galuf asked. "How can you tell?"

"Watch closely," Zidane instructed. "The body shimmers around the edges and sometimes you can see through it."

Observation time was over. Sin was shooting things off it's back. The pods hit the ground, turning into large insects. The bizarre things tottered around briefly before swarming into the dome. Everyone turned to Yuna, the ship's only expert on Sin and all its bizarre workings.

"They're called Sin Spawn but I guess this time they're just Heartless." Yuna held her hands to her chest nervously. "What do we do?"

Tifa grabbed her PHS and dialled Barret's number. However there was no signal thanks to the storm. She hung up, her gloved hands curling into fists. "We have to get down there and warn them. There's no other way to tell them."

"I'll come," Zidane said. "Just let me find some good wet weather clothing."

"Ditto," Galuf added, following Zidane off the bridge. "We'll move out in five."

Yuna tugged on Tifa's hand. "I want to come too."

"I know you do. But I need you to stay here and do something very important."

Yuna's expression said she didn't believe what she was being told. Tifa led her to the pilot's seat and indicated she should sit down. Yuna did so, the doubt starting to lift a little.

"If the Heartless try and attack the ship I need you to fly it off the world."

"I don't know how to fly!"

"It's okay. It'll be very easy. Look, see those words flashing on the screen?"

"You mean 'emergency lift-off'?"

"Exactly. All you have to do is tap the screen and everything else will take care of itself." Tifa stepped back to leave.

"But what about getting back down to you guys?"

"Don't worry, there's a landing mode in the autopilot program too."

Yuna took a deep breath. "Okay, I can do it."

"Good girl."

"Tifa?" Yuna called as the woman hurried off. "Good luck."

"Thanks."

Sora, Barret and Red were standing in a strange place. It was a platform deep underground and yet it looked like they were standing in the night sky. After descending on a lift to the lower level, Sora had been hoping that the path they were on would lead to the Keyhole.

It didn't. Instead they had found this strange place.

Sora decided to make it official. "It's not here."

Red sighed. "We always knew there was a chance it wouldn't be."

"No Heartless and no Keyhole." Sora shivered a little. "I don't like it."

"Guess we better head back to the ship and move on," Barret said. "C'mon, sooner we go the sooner we can find our missin' Keyhole."

The three hurried back to the lift. It didn't take long to get back outside the strange, quiet place and into the long corridor that would take them back outside – a prospect none of them relished. The pyreflies were still there but they had been joined by something else.

"Ah," Barret said, stepping forward.

"Yeah." The Keyblades appeared in Sora's hands. "There's our Heartless."

They didn't wait for the bug-like Heartless to reach them. They ran to meet them head on, Red hanging back to cast a blast of Fire3. He took out the frontrunners in one go, leaving Barret and Sora to take out the next row.

"'Ow many?" Barret demanded as he shot the bug-like Heartless down.

"I dunno," Sora replied, jumping up and slamming the Keyblades onto the heads of two Heartless. "Red any clue?"

"Scanning!" There was a brief pause. "I'm picking up ten but there are more coming in from outside."

"Then stop yackin' and get in 'ere!"

Red let out an amused roar before leaping into the fray, his claws tearing through the Heartless with ease. But even as Red backed Sora and Barret up the Heartless kept coming in larger and larger numbers. Sora pushed forward. He twisted and turned, slashing in wide arcs before switching his movements to lunges and jabs. The bugs were nasty, their attacks sudden and sharp. Sora managed to move fast enough to keep himself unhurt but the bugs were closing in, their sheer numbers forcing them to bunch up tightly. For the first time Sora felt a twinge of unease. If they didn't start killing the Heartless faster they were going to be lost beneath a tide of bugs. Sora began unleashing his more powerful attacks, slicing through row after row of bugs with Sonic Blade and Ars Arcanum. There was no room for moves like Strike Raid or Ragnarok so Sora kept to his abilities that required less room to pull off.

Behind him Barret was shooting any Heartless that got passed Sora. His gun never stopped booming, bullets firing through the air and into the bodies of the Heartless. Red leapt over Sora's head, disappearing into the writhing crowd. Red's claws flashed in the air but Sora knew there was only so long Red could hold out alone. Sora began cutting his way through to Red, leaving Barret to deal with those he left behind.

"Red that was kinda rash of you!" Sora called, seeing his friend somersault into the air and bounce off the heads of several bugs.

"Well I am a teenager after all and your examples are starting to rub off on me."

Sora's grin was wide as he sliced through another Heartless. "Are you sure you're not meant to be blaming Zidane?"

"The two of you certainly make a terrible pair."

"Oiy, oiy, oiy less talk more killin'!"

Moving was getting harder. There was now no way to estimate how many Heartless were cramming into the hallway. Soon the only way to move would be to jump on top of the Heartless and escape. Sora was almost standing on Red, his feet dancing to avoid stepping on the other's paws. He knew he had no room to attack physically but he did have one spell that could help.

"Ultima!"

The green magic sorted out the whole crowd of Heartless. But as soon as the magic was over more bugs poured through the doors, wind and rain screaming in with them. The pyreflies seemed unperturbed as the battle raged on. Barret used the Ultima Materia, taking out the second huge batch but they too were replaced.

"This is insane! We gotta get back to the ship!"

But at that moment someone else came slamming through the doors. "Hey! You guys alright?"

It was Tifa, Galuf and Zidane right behind her. She kicked one Heartless up in the air before catching it on its way back down with her hands and slamming it into a wall. "There are more behind us. Yuna calls them Sin Spawn."

"Sin Spawn?" Red repeated. "That can't be a good thing."

"Sin is here," Zidane confirmed, his daggers stabbing straight through one of the Spawn. "But it's not what it's supposed to be."

Sora clocked on the fastest. "It's a Heartless."

"Yeah. And it's a big one. There's no way we can take it on bare-handed."

"Let's just get outta here and regroup on the ship," Galuf said, his various Black Magic spells ripping through the Heartless. It was not enough to clear them. "We can figure out from up there what to do."

"Was the Keyhole here?" Tifa asked, punching several more of the Sin Spawn away.

"No but there's a chance it was hidden I guess," Sora replied thoughtfully, going with Red to help Tifa and Zidane clear a path out of the hallway. "But Galuf's right. We need a plan if we're gonna get rid of the Sin thing."

Now the group all fought to move forwards and get back out into the torrential rain. They made it. There were no Heartless outside and the party made a run for it. The weather hadn't let up. The ground they ran across was treacherous and slippery. Galuf slipped first, crying out in pain as his left leg snapped beneath him. Barret grabbed him and threw the older man over his shoulder, hollering at the others to carry on running. When the party made it outside Sora, Red and Barret got to see Sin for the very first time. There were more Sin Spawn everywhere but thankfully Yuna hadn't taken the ship off the land. Sora and Red fell back to cover Barret while Tifa and Zidane kept charging on to keep their path to the ship clear.

Sin seemed to take the attack on its Spawn as a personal insult. It moved forwards, preparing to attack. Barret moved faster, apologising to Galuf for the pain he was causing. Sora and Red flanked his sides, forcing the Spawn back. But Sin was ready, a strange fog emitting from its body.

Yuna's voice suddenly hit the air, hollering out from the ship's loudspeaker system. "Watch out! The toxin is poisonous to humans!"

None of the group made it back to the ship on time. Yuna was running off the ship as the attack ended, just as everyone else hit the ground… except Red of course. He wasn't human and therefore the toxin was completely harmless.

"Yuna stay back!"

The little girl was clutching the ribbon from Zidane's world. It was beginning to glow, flecks of white light drifting from it. Her hand tightened around it. "It's okay Red, I know what to do!" She closed her eyes, the light in her hand growing and slipping into a purple shade. "Madeen, I summon you!"

The lion-like creature appeared out of nowhere, weaving purple lightning into a massive net and capturing Sin and all the Spawn within it. Red looked at Yuna and his one good eye saw what Sora had seen in the Northern Crater. Yuna was a young woman, a year or two older than Sora. Her clothes were more ceremonial, the obi and long skirt appearing very traditional. Her face was composed, serious yet serene. She looked over at Red and smiled.

"It'll be alright," she promised with a smile, her voice gentle and mature.

Red nodded and watched as Madeen finished the job, destroying all the Spawn and somehow managing to send Sin away. Madeen disappeared, taking some of the strength out of the rain as well. Red looked back but Yuna was a little girl again, staring at the ribbon in absolute amazement. But there was no time to let her stand and wonder.

"Yuna, I need your help! See to Zidane and Tifa!"

Stirring herself, the girl nodded. Red looked down at Sora. The boy's eyes were closed. Red looked to Barret and Galuf and found them equally incapacitated. He dealt with Sora first, grabbing the boy's jacket in his strong jaw and dragging him back to the ship. His ears picked up the sound of Yuna talking to Zidane and Tifa. Red frowned as the conversation became clearer.

"It's alright Tifa. It's just the toxin affecting you. It makes your memories all hazy. Don't worry, you'll be fine soon."

"Okay, okay. Um…right…I don't know where we are."

"Yeah," it was Zidane. "I dunno either."

"Let's get on the ship. We can sort it all out then."

Yuna helped the pair to their feet. She pushed them up the ship's ramp before hurrying over to Red. "Are they okay?"

Red let Sora down gently. "I think so. What's happened to them?"

"The toxin affects memories mostly. It kinda blocks them for a while and leaves people all confused. Don't worry though, it'll wear off."

Red gave a sigh. "This is going to make things more complicated."

Yuna actually giggled. "But isn't that how it always is?"


	48. Chapter 48

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Forty-Eight

 _"Here's the funny thing about memories."_

 _He was lying on his back, a thoughtful expression on his face. He was stretched out on a black and white chequered marble floor, gazing up at a starlit night rather than a ceiling. And there was someone else walking around, the footsteps echoing loudly._

 _"When you take memories away you remove all expectations."_

 _"Expectations?"_

 _"You'll start to see some truths."_

 _"Truths about what?"_

 _"Not what. Who."_

 _A pair of feet came to stand by his head. He looked up, trying to make out the other's face. A hood hid it but he knew the face beneath was smiling as it turned to the sky._

 _"It's been a long time since I saw such a beautiful sky. This is like your home, isn't it? This is the sky you saw before the stars began to fade. I wish the sky I saw was like this."_

 _"What sky do you see?"_

 _"Black. Empty. It's all I have."_

 _"Why don't you stop what you're doing?"_

 _The pair looked at each other once again. He knew the hidden face was still smiling._

 _"I don't stop because this place is mine. I'll do what I want, get the best I can get and you won't survive it." There was a laugh and the other person crouched down, placing a cold hand over his eyes. "But you just keep doing your best. I love to watch you try. It's very amusing."_

 _"What are you…"_

 _"Open your eyes."_

Sora did as he was told. The sky had gone, replaced by dull metal sheets. It was the ship's ceiling. Oh well, life was still going on the weird way it had been lately so odd dreams weren't exactly a strange occurrence. Sora yawned, scratched his head, rubbed his eyes and sat up. "Donald? Goofy? Where are we?"

He frowned to himself. What was with his voice? It sounded deeper. He cleared his throat. And why did his head feel so fuzzy? He groaned a little. He did not need a cold. Ansem was still out there somewhere and he wasn't going to stop while Sora just sat here worrying about a weird throat and a sore head.

Sora tossed the blanket off and stood up. Something odd was definitely going on. Sora cocked his head to the side as he looked down at his feet. It was strange but they seemed a lot further away than usual. He wiggled his toes to confirm that yes he was still connected to them. Shaking his head to himself Sora looked around. That was when he realised he wasn't where he should've been. He'd often fell asleep in the cockpit after leaving a world behind but one: this wasn't the cockpit and two: this wasn't even the same ship.

Sora was about to call out to his friends again when there came a sudden snore. Sora jerked around expecting to find Goofy. His eyes landed on something, something he was certain wasn't meant to be there. His blue eyes grew wider and wider. His hands clenched and unclenched by his sides. His bare feet forced him backwards. He tried to say something but his voice was frozen.

There was a dead body lying on a table next to where he had just been.

Sora could just about determine it had once been a man. His flesh was so badly rotted it was barely hanging on to the bones. In many places all that was left was bone. Something was crawling around the corpse. Sora's stomach twisted. They were maggots. The sight was nightmarish but he couldn't pull his eyes away no matter how hard he tried. Sora collided with an unexpected wall, shock finally bringing out a cry.

And then something even worse happened.

It moved.

The head, missing the nose and an eye, turned towards Sora. "You okay kid?" It asked in a rasping voice. "You look a little pale." It lifted one skeletal hand. "Don't suppose you know what's going on do you? Everything's kind of hazy."

Digging into the depths of all his courage, Sora spied the door and ran out at top speed. He ignored the voice calling after him. This was a nightmare. A very bad nightmare…

"So why aren't I waking up?"

He ran down a hallway and found himself on a ship's bridge. There were other people there…sort of. There was a young woman and someone that stood on all fours. Both seemed to spot him at once, frowning for some reason.

"Sora? What's wrong?" the young woman asked.

He held up his hands. "Okay, I don't know who you are or where I am but there is a dead body back there and it is talking and…and…" He laughed uneasily. He sounded insane. "Where're Donald and Goofy? We didn't leave them behind did we?"

The pair looked at one another. The one on four legs spoke first. "Did you ever hear of anything like this? Did the toxin ever cause hallucinations?"

The young woman shook her head. "No. It just messed up memories."

"What are you talking about?" Sora stepped a little closer towards them. "What's going on?"

The thing on four legs looked up at him. "Do you know who we are?"

"Don't you think I would've called you by your names if I did?" Sora knew he sounded rude but he was a little on edge. His eyes kept darting back down the hallway to make sure that monster hadn't followed him.

The girl came hurrying forward. She was slightly taller than Sora and as he looked up at her he noticed her eyes were two different colours. "It's okay. My name is Yuna and he's Red. Your memory's just a little hazy. It'll clear in a day or so."

It sounded like a convenient excuse and in all honesty Sora didn't care. There was a more pressing issue screaming in his head. "Okay so I've forgotten some stuff. But why is there a talking dead body in that other room?"

Yuna's expression was one of confusion so Sora turned to Red, noticing an odd look on his face. He was looking at Yuna as if she wasn't what he expected. He talked without even looking at Sora. "It's only Galuf in your room. He broke his leg and was affected like you were."

Sora shook his head vehemently. "That was no man."

Before Yuna or Red could continue someone else came barrelling onto the bridge.

"Oiy, Red, where the hell is everyone? Where's Tifa and Cloud? Ain't Cid meant to be piloting? How come Vincent ain't sittin' in some corner lookin' grim? And what about Yuffie? Don't tell me… she's paintin' the ship brown?" The big man suddenly noticed the two unfamiliar faces. "Who're they?" He demanded from Red.

"This is Yuna and he's Sora. It's a very long story."

"Yeah, I bet it is. Gonna tell it?"

"Long story short: you've lost some of your memories. Tell me what the last thing you remember is."

"We're about to go fight Sephiroth. For cryin' out loud Red this ain't no time to be messin' around."

"That's years of memories gone," Red commented. "Okay Sora, what about you?"

"Huh?" Sora pulled his eyes off the man's gun arm. "Uh… Donald, Goofy and I were at Traverse Town 'cause Cid was fixing the ship. Donald and Goofy were at the Small House and I was just hanging out with Kairi. I was proving to her I could fly 'cause she didn't believe me 'til I showed her and then she was really shocked and… Hey that doesn't matter! I told you there's a talking dead guy in that room! We've gotta do something!"

"Sora how old are you?" Red asked.

"Fourteen. So what? Guy. Room. Dead but not dead!"

"Interesting. Explains the change in behaviour definitely…"

The man raised his gun arm. "Monsters on the ship an' you're jes' standin' there Red? C'mon!"

"Sora I know you don't remember Galuf but he's not a monster," Yuna said calmly, resting her hands on his shoulders. "Why don't we all go together and see?"

"Good idea," Red agreed, taking the lead and leaving the bridge. "I can look in on Tifa and Zidane while we go."

"Tifa's 'ere? What 'bout the others?"

"Barret I told you it's a long story. Years have gone by since the last thing you remember. The truth is where we are right now isn't even our world." Red gave Barret a quick recap, making sure to explain that Marlene was perfectly safe. "I know it'll be hard for you to believe but it's the truth."

Barret grumbled a bit but decided to accept Red's words as the truth. Deciding the only person who'd make perfect sense would be someone similarly afflicted, he turned to Sora. "So where're y'from? Midgar? Nah…ya got too much've a tan for that. Mideel mebbe? Shame what 'appened to that town."

"Uh, no. I'm from Destiny Islands. It was destroyed by the Heartless." They were getting close to that room again. That thing was in there. "Ever since then I've been to loads of worlds."

"Worlds?"

"We'll gather everyone together," Red broke in before Sora could go on. "Then we can explain everything in more detail okay?"

They re-entered the room Sora had fled out of. He looked once and refused to go in. Barret looked too. He saw what Sora saw and a long chain of expletives boomed in the air. Red, Yuna and the body all looked at Barret, who placed his real hand on Sora and pulled him out the room.

"Red what the hell are you doin'? What izat?"

Two other people came walking along the hallway. Sora looked at them as Barret levelled his gun at the moving corpse. He looked at the brunette woman but she wasn't familiar at all. Her companion was a teenaged boy with blond hair and a long tail but he too was completely unfamiliar. However the two of them recognised him.

"You all right Sora?" the boy asked. "My memory's a little hazy. How's yours?"

"Who are you?"

"That answers that," the blond answered, rubbing his hands with a wide smirk. He nudged the woman next to him. "Do you feel unloved Tifa? He doesn't know who we are."

She nudged him right back. "Don't be a pain." She turned to Sora. "Hi. I'm Tifa and the smart one here is Zidane. You don't remember us at all?"

"No." Sora's eyes were back on the corpse. Why was no one stopping it?

Barret pushed Sora further back as Yuna helped the body up. "Don't touch it!"

Red looked at him firmly. "Put your weapon down! You're both hallucinating. This is Galuf! He's our friend."

"I'm lookin' at a freakin' zombie Red. That ain't no person."

"Do you mind?" It was the corpse…Galuf…talking. "I assure you I'm alive."

"You don't look it," Sora commented, peeking over Barret's brawny arm.

Tifa and Zidane looked in the room. They both seemed completely unbothered by Galuf. Something else was bothering them.

"Yuna?" Zidane stepped into the room. "What happened to you?"

She blinked at him. "What do you mean?"

"You've grown." He waved his hand to his thigh. "That's how tall you're meant to be."

"Okay, this is enough," Red commanded with a growl. "Everyone sit down. Barret, stop aiming at Galuf. I don't care what you see but it's not right. I'm going to go over everything and Yuna's going to help. Then we're going to figure out how to defeat the Heartless out there and seal the Keyhole."

Barret lowered his gun. "Awright, you tell us everythin' but I ain't goin' near that…Galuf. And neither's the kid."

Everyone else got comfortable while Red gave an overview of everything that happened in the recent past. It was a little difficult for Barret to get his head around it all but he managed without too much swearing. Sora barely paid attention. He gathered that Goofy and Donald weren't around. The rest he didn't listen to. He couldn't tear his eyes off Galuf. Why did no one else other than Barret see what he saw? Why did they think it was a normal person sitting there?

 _When you take memories away you remove all expectations._

He didn't understand where the words in his head were coming from and he certainly didn't understand what they meant.

 _Heh, and I'm not going to tell you._

Sora looked at the group but none of them looked as though they had spoken. He frowned in confusion, Yuna's words completely passing him by even as he noticed Barret nodding in understanding.

"…So we've gotta stop Sin so the Keyhole can be sealed. It ain't 'ere in Zanarkand but Yuna reckons she's got some other ideas. Am I on top've things?"

"Pretty much," Yuna smiled.

 _You've forgotten me? Oh this is delightful! Great. Good. Don't tell anyone. They'll think you're insane._

Sora stirred out of his own mind. "Where are we exactly?" he asked, making sure he kept his eyes firmly on Yuna. He saw something odd. For a moment she seemed to shrink. He blinked and it was gone.

 _You probably are going a bit crazy._

That was reassuring.

"This is Spira," Yuna said. "This is my world."

"I wonder if that's why you've chang…" But Red shook his head. "Don't worry. All right. So we have a big problem – Sin. Luckily for us it's a Heartless and weak to Holy-based spells. The problem is we only have two such spells: Holy and the summon Madeen."

"And only I can use them," Yuna added.

"Holy?" Tifa said. "But there's no way any of us can use that. We're not Cetra."

Red quickly recapped how Holy worked differently on different worlds. "So Yuna's going to divert Sin's attention while we find the Keyhole. We've ruled out Zanarkand. The next closest location is the Calm Lands. We'll go there and see what we can see."

"Like a sailor!"

Everyone looked at Sora. He laughed a little nervously. "You know that rhyme, right? No? You know 'A sailor went to sea, sea, sea to see what he could see, see, see…'" No one was responding with anything other than completely blank stares. "Just my world huh?"

"Moving on," Red said, completely ignored him.

"I'll fly," Tifa said. "Yuna can tell me where to go."

"Okay."

The two women left. Zidane was quick to speak up. "I know some of my memories are a little mixed up but Yuna was a little girl last time I saw her. How did she age…" He paused and counted on his fingers. "…at least seven years in the space of a few hours?"

"You don't remember this but when Sin attacked she used the summon magic within the Ribbon and then she was a teenager. But she changed back to a child. Then when I found her on the ship she had grown up again." Red looked as confused as Zidane sounded. "She has no knowledge of this. As far as she's concerned she's seventeen and that's the way it's always been."

The ship started moving. Sora decided he had no idea what anyone was talking about and headed off to the bridge, wanting to keep Galuf out of his sight. Heavy footfalls from behind indicated Barret was coming too.

"I jes' keep tellin' meself I ain't seein' what's real," Barret said. "But then I know you're seein' the same thing and it makes my head ache."

They stepped onto the bridge. Yuna and Tifa were talking quietly. Again Sora's eyes seemed to play tricks. Yuna changed in front of him – child to young woman. Barret seemed to notice as well but just gave a grunt and a shrug. Meanwhile Sora's memory seemed to be stretching out too. Suddenly he remembered that odd place known as The End of the World. But that still didn't explain why Donald and Goofy were nowhere to be found. Sora sat cross-legged on a table at the back of the bridge, watching the rain as it washed over the large window. The world outside seemed completely miserable. That was all right. Sora didn't feel much better although he was trying to be optimistic. Feeling a sudden need for reassurance, Sora held out his hand and called the Keyblade.

He almost fell off the table when two appeared.

"Awesome!"

He got on his feet and started taking some practise swings. Using his left hand took a little getting used to but he picked it up soon enough. He couldn't wait to remember how he'd come to have two Keyblades.

The others came to the bridge just as the ship arrived at the Calm Lands. Letting the Keyblades disappeared, Sora gazed out at the unfamiliar landscape. The rain tried to obscure everything but it was clear to see. He even pointed it out.

"There's the Keyhole."

It was standing in midair in the dead centre of the Calm Lands, clear as daylight. Red groaned aloud. "If only we'd come here first." He shook his fiery head. "It even makes more sense. The Calm Lands are a symbol of Sin's defeat. Zanarkand may give the hope but this place is proof that hope isn't misplaced."

"Yeah, yeah Red, real poetic," Barret muttered.

Tifa took the ship down and Sora got a better look. "The Keyhole's shielded. That must mean there's a big Heartless nearby."

"Oh it's plenty big," Yuna said calmly.

Red laid out the plan. They were going to locate Sin and split into two groups. "Yuna, Tifa and Zidane will go after Sin. Yuna's going to throw all she can at it while Tifa and Zidane cover her. Take care of any Heartless that stray from Sin and keep Yuna shielded and topped up with Elixirs and Ethers. Meanwhile Sora you can stay by the Keyhole with myself and Barret so the moment Sin's gone we can seal it. We can't let the Heartless get in and freeze the world."

Yuna looked a little uncertain. "Are you sure this'll work Red? Sin is usually only defeated by the Final Aeon."

"But this Sin is a Heartless. It won't be the same as you remember." Red looked outside. "Let's get this started."

Sora stood in the pouring rain with Red and Barret. It was refreshing to be outside even though the storm was slowly building in intensity. More of his memories were returning. He now knew that Ansem had been defeated. That brought back some good and bad memories. The emotions he felt were dimmed with time but it was all still enough to leave him quiet. All he could think about was that last moment with Kairi as she faded away and when Riku was shut behind the door to Kingdom Hearts. He felt bad but he wouldn't let it stop him. If he could fight he could still find a way back to both of them. Everything would work out for the best someday.

Something began ringing and Barret reached into a pocket and pulled a PHS out. "Found this Sin thing Tifa?" There was a brief pause. Barret looked up. "Damn, yeah, I see 'em. Awright, good luck." He put the phone back in his pocket, raising his weapon. "We got incomin'."

"Sin Spawn," Red supplied. "But they're also Heartless."

"I've never seen Heartless like that before," Sora commented.

"Yes you have," Red said, stepping forward.

"Right, of course I have," Sora replied, calling out both his Keyblades. "This is still weird," he muttered, flexing his left arm. "How long have I had two?"

"A week or so."

"Never mind that! Can y'fight?" Barret began firing, knocking some of the flying Heartless off-course. "Tifa said Sin's in some place called Zanarkand. She'll fly the ship back 'ere when Yuna's dealt wiv it. So, you ready?"

Sora stepped forward, Oathkeeper held behind his head and Oblivion across his chest. "Let's do it."

Fighting with both hands came back to Sora in a matter of moments. One Heartless down and it felt as though he had been fighting in this style his entire life. Weaving through the gathering crowd, Sora moved without thought and relied unconsciously on instinct alone. There were no stray thoughts. Everything was fluid, the Heartless dropping with ease. Even as the rain grew heavy and the sounds of the Spawns' attacks grew louder Sora never stopped. His mind just tuned it all out.

Barret continued to aim at the skies, his covering fire taking out packs of Heartless before they even had a chance to touch the ground. Together with Red's magic and Sora's assault on the landed troops the trio were making a definite dent in the Sin Spawn Heartless.

But it would all be for nothing if Yuna didn't defeat Sin.

Zanarkand was old, too old to withstand an attack from Sin. The pyreflies buzzed around faster than ever, disturbed by the changes in the atmosphere. Blast after blast of magic slammed into Sin, distracting it enough to stop it from attacking. It was the only advantage Tifa, Yuna and Zidane had. The Sin Spawn were attacking ferociously, desperate to protect their master.

Yuna's multiple Holy and Madeen attacks were taking their toll on her. Despite the Elixirs and Ethers the magical drain on her body was beginning to show. Sin was weakening significantly, the number of Heartless it shot into the air diminishing with each of Yuna's attacks. However it wouldn't be long before she could do no more.

Tifa ordered Yuna to take a break, summoning Bahamut Zero to give the younger woman time to rest. Zidane stood in front of Yuna, dispatching of any Heartless that got too close to her. Yuna caught her breath and took another Elixir from Zidane with a quiet 'thank you'. For a moment her body seemed to shift and change again. Zidane ignored it. There would be time for questions later. For now Bahamut Zero's attack screamed down from the sky, piercing Sin's back and taking out the rest of the Spawn-type Heartless.

"Yuna?" Tifa called. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," she said, sounding anything but ready. Yuna stood on unsupportive feet, Zidane hurrying to catch her as her balance gave an ominous wobble. "Thank you."

"Tifa this isn't going to work," Zidane said grimly. "Yuna can't keep it up."

"I can!" Yuna pulled herself free, steadying herself as her grip tightened around the Ribbon once again. "I can." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The pyreflies were gathering around her again, just as they had in the Besaid Temple. The Ribbon began to glow white. As the light pulsated brighter, the pyreflies began changing. They weren't colourful any longer. Instead they all turned white, Holy white. They joined with Madeen who appeared before Yuna once again, larger this time and somehow far more powerful.

The shock of the otherworldly Bahamut's attack had worn off. Sin was preparing to attack, calling the waters behind it to rush in and sink them all. Tifa and Zidane met each other's eyes nervously. This really could be it. They ran to Yuna's side and Tifa cast Big Guard around all three of them. It seemed like such a flimsy barrier in the face of immense power. But there was no need to worry because Yuna was on top of things. Her body was lost behind a blinding white haze. The light seeped into Madeen as the summoned creature once again wove the web around Sin. The pyreflies streamed out of Zanarkand, their light a bright white. It was getting impossible to see. Zidane and Tifa shielded their eyes just as the sound of roaring water blocked out all else.

Had they been looking they would've seen Madeen's Holy magic rip through Sin's tidal wave, turning the seawater into nothing other than harmless rain. Madeen, innate abilities bolstered by the Fayth of Spira, locked Sin down in the purple web. It dug deep into Sin's unholy body, ripping it apart. And when all became visible again, Madeen had faded back into the Ribbon and Sin was gone.

Zidane and Tifa's immediate concern was for Yuna. She was standing at her child height once again, smiling brightly as the pyreflies recovered their colour and danced around her. They watched as she gave them a deep bow and made an odd gesture with her arms.

"Thank you for everything," she said, standing straight once again. "Thank you." Yuna, a little girl once again, turned to Tifa and Zidane with a big smile. "Everything will be fine now," she assured them.

One minute they were under attack and the next the Sin Spawn simply ceased to be in the blink of an eye. Sora, Red and Barret all fell still, looking around as if to make sure there wasn't a nasty surprise lurking around for them. There was nothing of the sort and Sora, memories finally recalling a place called Brighthelmston, saw that the Keyhole was no longer blocked. Being right-handed, he dismissed Oblivion and aimed Oathkeeper at the Keyhole once he was closer to it. Light glowed and shot into the Keyhole. The rain-soaked Calm Lands faded away. Sora found himself on a stone platform in a midnight sky. Had he seen this place before? He couldn't remember.

A man dressed in robes with an odd looking hat upon his head stepped out of the sky. His face was familiar but Sora couldn't place it.

"Do I know you?"

 _No. But I know of you. There is something you need to know. Here._

The man held out a blue sphere. Sora walked forward and took it, feeling a cool weight in the fingers of his left hand. "Thank you. But…" The place was starting to fade, the man disappearing with it. Sora could feel something tugging him backwards. No, not yet. Not until… "What's your name?"

 _Braska. Tell Yuna I'm very proud of her._

Sora was yanked backwards. He slammed onto his back, wet grass cushioning his fall. His eyes looked up into blue sky. His head was aching. His memories seemed to be tripping over one another as they rushed back. Sending Oathkeeper away, Sora pushed himself up just in time to see the Keyhole fade away into tiny glittering stars. It was only then that he realised something really was clenched in his left hand. He looked down and saw the blue sphere. Something stirred in his mind. Yes, he'd seen something like this before. What was it again?

"Sora?" It was Red. He padded over to Sora's side. "You all right?"

"Yeah I'm fine," he answered without looking at Red.

"Whatcha got there?" Barret asked.

"Dunno."

"Ah, helpful," Red muttered.

Sora held it closer to his eyes, peering into it as he tried to understand what it was. That was when he noticed the speck in the middle, a speck that suddenly turned into a strict-looking young woman's face.

"Yuna, if you're watching this that must mean you've found a way back home to Spira. I always hoped you would. I hated how you left without having the time to truly understand the threat the Heartless brought about." The woman sighed, braided hair falling over her chest. "All this in the middle of your pilgrimage was the last thing any of us needed and yet here we are, fighting a battle no one seems to know how to win. But this is all very unimportant. There's something I need to tell you." Her crimson eyes seemed to lock onto Sora's. "As you know I specialise in Black Magic. That means I have a connection to dark things. These Heartless are dark and somehow I know of things that make very little sense to most people. Yuna, before you left our world you were seventeen-years-old. I watched you turn into a child right before my eyes, watched your wand turn into a child's toy. I also saw Sir Auron, Wakka and Tidus change as well. Then, before I knew it, all four of you were gone. But I wasn't worried or confused. I knew what had happened. Yuna, the Heartless didn't take you away. Yes, it was the darkness that removed you, the others and who knows how many other people from this world, but beneath it all the power of good, light, was at work." The woman's face suddenly smiled warmly, the strict façade melting away. "The light that was at work had to struggle through so much darkness. It did the best it could do under the circumstances. I don't know where you are Yuna or what will happen but somehow I know you've gone for a reason. The light needed you and it took you. But in my heart I know we'll meet again. Be safe Yuna."

The image faded and Sora pulled back. He realised that Barret and Red had been watching as well. All three of them noticed at the same moment that the ship was landing not too far away.

"That was very, very interesting," Red surmised.

"Yeah, very," Sora said, his mind running over things. His memories were almost complete – all he needed to remember was what had happened between leaving Zidane's world and waking up on the ship. Only a few facts remained out of reach. "I need to see Galuf."

"Are you sure?" Red asked. "You seemed quite convinced he was a monster earlier."

"Not a monster, a dead body," Sora replied distantly, remembering something he'd been told by the Lifestream.

… _ **there was another, a woman who was sent to us after death. And yet the Keyblades called her spirit back and took her from us.**_

Sora began walking towards the ship, Red hurrying alongside him as Barret brought up the rear just in case something tried to surprise them. Sora didn't answer any of the questions Red was throwing at him. It was taking all of his concentration to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

 _Did losing your memories help at all?_

Probably.

Sora walked up the ship's ramp with his arms crossed thoughtfully over his chest. So, Yuna had been taken from her world in the middle of some kind of journey. She, and anyone else who'd been taken, had turned up elsewhere with altered memories in a different form. Okay, that was one piece. Then there was the next: Galuf. When Sora had forgotten the old man, he'd seen him for what he truly was: dead - just like Aerith supposedly was. But when the Heartless were finally defeated would they die again? Sora didn't know so he moved on to the words of that woman and tied the pieces together. Somehow the power of light had reached out from where it was trapped in the darkness and manipulated people to put them in places where they would be needed.

Why?

 _You're carrying the reason, two of them, around._

The Keyblades?

 _They needed to make sure you wouldn't fail._

It should've been unbelievable but it wasn't. And when he walked back into the ship's kitchen and saw Galuf alive and well Sora knew he'd cracked it. He knew he'd never be able to look at Galuf the same again. It was insane but that, apparently, was life. And as the ship pulled away from Spira Sora once again found himself longing for the days when all he had to worry about was sealing the Keyholes.

He found Yuna on the bridge with Tifa and Zidane. She ran over to Sora and jumped up at him. "So, do you remember me yet?" she asked hopefully.

He did his best to not be surprised that she'd shrunk again. After all, he did know why it had happened now. "Yeah I definitely know who you are."

"Yay!"

Sora crouched down. "I've got a message for you."

Yuna was instantly curious. "From who?"

"A man called Braska. He said he's very proud of you."

"My father said that? Really?" Her eyes filled with tears. "Daddy's proud of me."

Sora ruffled her hair. "Absolutely. And I am too. You saved us all."

Sniffling, Yuna threw herself into his arms. "Well," she said matter-of-factly despite keeping her face hidden, "where would you be without me?"

Sora hugged her back. "Up a creek without a paddle."

"That's a weird saying."

"Blame my mom. She's always saying weird things."

"Is that why you talk in your sleep?"

"Yeah, definitely. Blame my mom."

Picking a giggling Yuna up, Sora walked over to the ship's main window. Tifa was at the helm, pulling the ship away from Spira. Yuna waved goodbye, sad to be leaving. Now they were going back to Atlantica and the end was coming into sight.

 _See you there._


	49. Chapter 49

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Forty-Nine

"We've located Merlin."

That was Leon's method of announcing his arrival. He walked into the apartment Kairi was in with her family and friends, Donald and Goofy close behind. Night had fallen some hours ago, the streets outside finally losing some of their intense desert heat.

"He's gone to Disney Castle," Donald said. "He was staying with some local wizards and they gave us his next stop."

"Home again!" Goofy said happily.

"Did you already forget?" Donald groaned. "The castle's been abandoned."

"Oh…yeah. Whoops! Guess it sorta slipped my mind."

"We're heading out as soon as we've finished gathering supplies. Sorry Kairi but we need you to come with us now."

Kairi stood up. "Okay." She turned to her Grandmother, foster parents and Tomoyo. She smiled. "Looks like I'm off again." She gave everyone hugs. "I'll see you at home," she promised. "You'll stay with us, right Grandma?"

The old woman nodded. "We've still got lots to talk about. Be safe."

With no further ado Kairi left with her friends. She felt much more at ease leaving her family behind this time. At least she wasn't running away and leaving a note behind. It made her feel better to know she'd kept her parents fully informed. She hurried on as Leon led them through the winding streets and back to Cid's ship. Cid was there alone, preparing the ship to leave. They were just taking his ship and leaving Donald and Goofy's behind. There was no need for them to split up this time. Chip and Dale had assured everyone they'd take good care of the ship and, if it was needed, pilot it to them at a moment's notice.

Cid told Leon that Cloud, Aerith and Yuffie were getting the supplies. "After that we're off to Disney Castle. Been in touch with the Queen and she said the only ones left behind are the guards sworn to protect the castle but she reckons Merlin's probably there givin' 'em a hand." Cid shook his head with a groan. "Why is it everyone we ever need to find gets themselves in bad situations eh?"

"'Cause it just wouldn't be any fun if they didn't," Goofy said as he polished his shield. "Life's all about adventure."

"Adventure? This ain't no adventure it's a pain in my as…er…neck. Pain in my neck!"

"Ah but we know you're having fun," Kairi said. "After all, you like flying right?"

"Yeah, yeah all right I'll give ya that. But when are people gonna realise they need to make my life easier by not havin' me fly my ship into a Heartless war zone?"

"Probably never," Donald sighed.

"Selfish bas…er…" Cid struggled to find a cleaner insult. Eventually he decided to just stay silent. It was definitely safer that way.

It didn't take too long for Cloud, Aerith and Yuffie to arrive with numerous supplies such as food, camping equipment and restorative potions and Elixirs. Cid wasted no time taking the ship back into space. Kairi felt a certain mix of excitement and anxiety stirring within her. A new world with new dangers lay ahead. She smiled a little, wondering if what she felt now was the way Sora had felt every time he went to a new world.

"It needs a name."

"Pick one. I'm busy."

"No you aren't you're just being boring."

"Whatever. Name it."

"Fine! Um…how about…uuuuuum… Wings?"

"Lame."

"Highwind II?"

"Nah, it's gotta be something totally new."

"Shiva?"

"No."

"Ifrit?"

"Nah."

"Flying Chocobo?"

"Do Chocobos fly?"

"Zidane said they do on his world."

"Yeah well Zidane's always saying stuff no one should believe."

"Oooh, I'll tell him you said that."

"So?"

"You're being a pain."

"Oh. Sorry."

"Fine, be that way. Okay, a name. Um… ooh pigtails!"

"No. No way."

"I'll do it if you don't help me."

"Don't even try it."

"I will!"

"You won't."

"Oh yes I will! I'm going to go get my brush right now and…"

"Fine! Okay. Jeez Yuna. You're so persistent." Sora looked up from the notebook in his hands. He'd lately taken to keeping a journal, deciding that if Jiminy Cricket wasn't around to help him keep track of things he'd just have to do it himself. "Right. You wanna name the ship. How about…" Well, Excalibur certainly hadn't worked out with the raft… "Um… Okay so this is harder than I thought it would be."

"Moogle Cruiser!"

"No."

"The Pipsqueak!"

"What?"

"Rust Bucket! Blitzball! Boring-Place-To-Be! Yunapalooza!"

Sora eyed the girl suspiciously. "Are you hyper?"

"Heartless Destroyer!"

"That's not so bad…"

Zidane chose that moment to come walking in, just as Yuna got to her feet and started jigging on the table. "What's going on?"

"Yuna's having a funny five moments…only it's been almost an hour."

"Help me name the ship!" She demanded. "Help me! Think of good names! Only good names!"

"Okay Sora what did you give her?"

"Me? I was gonna ask you the same question."

"Uh…"

The girl was starting to turn cartwheels on the table, somehow managing to stay on and not break any bones. "How about The Flying Saucer?"

"How about we sedate you?"

"Just 'cause you're always sleeping Sora doesn't mean I want to as well."

"Ouch, she got you there."

"You aren't helping Zidane."

"Sorry. Anyway, it's probably the side effects of all those Elixirs we gave her. Made her a little…high."

"You know what I wish?"

"No, Yuna, what do you wish?" Sora had a feeling he'd regret asking.

"I wish I could fly all on my own. Just jump and whoosh! I'd be able to fly!" She bent her legs and leapt into the air. "Whee!"

Sora shot across the floor and caught her before she smacked into the ground. "Okay, that's enough flying for you." He put her down. "Yuna just relax a little. You're all jittery. It's weird."

"Calm is boring! I wanna fly!" And with that Yuna started running around with her arms held out. "Whoosh!"

"Uh oh."

"Don't say uh oh Zidane."

"I think she'll be like this for quite a while yet. She's only little after all. Well, she is now."

Yuna had two wooden spoons in her hands and was running around banging them on every pot and pan she could find. "I like to make noise yes I do!" She sang tonelessly. "Nobody will stop me 'cause I am cool!"

"At least we put Galuf in another room," Sora commented as Yuna's song broke down into nonsense yells. "She would've driven him mad by now."

"There's only one option you know."

"Put her to sleep?"

"You're too fond of that Sora. Nah, we gotta just wear her out. Hey Yuna!"

"What?" She yelled as she continued drumming.

"Wanna play It?"

"Okay let's play! I'm It!" She threw the spoons at them, both ducking out the way at the last minute. "Ready or not here I come!" And with a high pitched squeal Yuna raced after them as they ran out the kitchen.

For someone with such little legs Yuna was running extremely fast. It was Zidane who realised she'd cast Haste on herself when her hand smacked his arm.

"You're It!" She announced before shooting off.

Zidane smirked at Sora. "This is your fault."

"How's that?"

"It just is. Everything's your fault. So," Zidane tapped Sora's arm. "You can be the one to wear her out."

"You want me to do that alone?"

"Aaah Sora you're younger than me! You've got far more energy!"

"You're only eighteen."

"Yeah well that makes me older than you. Off you go!" Zidane headed off. "Oh, and I'll lock you both off the bridge. I don't think Tifa will be amused if the two of you come racing through."

Yuna's giggles echoed all around. "You'll never catch me!"

"Alas, she's probably right!" Zidane said as he sauntered to the bridge.

But Sora wasn't going to be outdone by a little girl. No way. He chased after her. There were only so many places she could go on the ship. She wouldn't stay hidden forever.

She was, however, bouncier than ever and when she jumped out from an air vent in the ceiling she landed on Sora's shoulders and used him as a springboard before leaping off once again.

"I can fllllllllllllly!"

"Hey you hit me! That means you're It Yuna!"

She gave a positively evil cackle. "Here I come!"

The sounds of the pair running echoed everywhere. On the bridge Tifa winced every time she heard the unmistakable sound of metal pots being lobbed around.

"Are you sure we shouldn't just sit on Yuna?" she asked Zidane.

"Let them have their fun."

Barret nodded in agreement. "It's about time we let 'em jes' be kids for a while."

Tifa cringed when she heard something smashing in the hallway outside followed by the sounds of hyperactive yelling and laughing. "Okay fine but the instant they damage the ship I'm putting a stop to it."

"Spoken like a true mother," Zidane said.

"Be quiet you."

Tifa returned to the helm to make sure the autopilot was still doing its job. The screen informed her they had at least another three hours of their journey to go. Even with the warp drive the journey back to Atlantica was going to take a while. But that seemed to be fine with everyone. It gave them time to take stock of everything that had happened as well as plan their next move. Hollow Bastion was a concern but so were the other worlds Sora had yet to seal. And what of the Heartless? They'd been gone for a fair amount of time and hadn't heard any news from Terra. Hopefully that meant everything was fine.

Everyone on the bridge remained quiet, ignoring the loud noises from outside. Red had his nose buried in one of the books he'd picked up from Cosmo Canyon, every so often making an informed grunt or muttering a "ah I see". Zidane had picked up a book as well but it seemed the text had sent him to sleep. Barret was running some maintenance checks on his gun arm and making sure everything was working correctly. Tifa ran her fingers through her hair, wishing the ship could go faster. Unease was gnawing away at her and she wanted to get to Atlantica so she could set her worrying mind at rest.

Two hours to go.

Disney Castle was mostly empty. Only the bravest (or perhaps the most foolhardy) of soldiers remained to ensure the strangely lacklustre Heartless didn't float their way into the castle. Donald led the way to the library where Merlin was supposed to be. Everyone kept their weapons drawn. Kairi's hands squeezed the grip of her hammer. She hadn't been in a fight for a while but the heavy weight didn't feel unnatural. Thanks to numerous mock-battles with Yuffie Kairi's self-confidence had grown – although she always turned down Cid, Cloud and Leon's offers of sparring because there was confidence and then there were self-delusions. But fighting was unnecessary because the soldiers had all done a great job of keeping the Heartless out of the castle and the party made it to the library without trouble. Goofy went first and held the door open for the others.

"Merlin!" Yuffie hollered, forgetting all the rules of a library. "Merlin are you here? Come out! We need to talk to you!"

"Oh hello?" Merlin's head poked out from behind a bookshelf. He was standing precariously on a stool with so many books in his arms his eyes were barely visible over the top. " Whoever's ther-ah!"

Merlin made a monumental effort to stay on his feet but it was all for naught. Kairi and the others collectively winced when the old wizard hit the ground hard, only to be rained on by numerous books. But he got up cheerfully enough, brushing himself off.

"Well, well, well how pleasant to see you all again!" Merlin said, pulling his wand out his sleeve and casting a quick spell to make the books pile themselves nice and neatly. "Is there anything I might be able to do for you?"

"Definitely!" Kairi burst out before quickly covering everything her Grandmother had said in a breathless rush. "So can you help us?" She concluded, not noticing the others behind her were all quite amused at her excitement.

"Hm," Merlin paced around a little. "Hm, interesting. I have been thinking of ways to go to other worlds without using a gummi ship. I suppose I could augment the magic. Yes, yes. I'll have to experiment of course. It might take a while but I suppose everything goes a little faster with a cup of tea. I wonder where the Fairy Godmother got off too. Gone to find that young Cinderella I expect. Oh well I should be all right." He suddenly seemed to remember he was in company. Giving a somewhat dazed smile that wouldn't have been out of place on someone a tad tipsy, Merlin promised he would do his absolute best to fulfil their request. "After all I simply couldn't ask for a better library. Not even Hollow Bastion had as many fascinating books to utilise in the furthering of one's magical abilities."

"So you think you can do it?" Leon wanted a simple yes or now.

"My dear boy I am Merlin! If there's magic to be done I assure you I'm the one who'll be able to cast it!"

"That's the answer we wanted," Yuffie grinned.

"No more."

"More!"

"No."

"More!"

"No!"

"More, more, more, more, MORE!"

"Leave me alone. I'm tired."

"No you're not!"

"Yes I am."

"Not."

"Am."

"Are not!"

"Am too!"

"Not."

"I'm not getting into this argument."

"Fine, how about this one: you're so boring!"

"You say that a lot and I don't care."

"How about I tie your hair in bunches? Will you care then?"

"Nope."

"I'm gonna do it!"

"Fine. Go ahead."

"Ooooh you're no fun at all!"

"All right, all right!" Sora pushed Yuna off – she had been sitting (and bouncing) on his stomach. "Tag! Ha! You're it!"

"Sora! You… you…you meanie!"

"Catch me if you can!"

Yuna raced after him, planning all the time in her mind how she was going to catch him. It all came down to one very old, time-honoured trick. With a wicked grin she threw herself onto the floor.

"Ow!" she wailed, the cry breaking down into tears. "Sora I fell over! My foot hurts!"

It worked like a charm. Sora came running back. "Yuna are you okay? What happened?"

"I…" She hiccupped. "I think I twisted my…my…" Sob. "My a-ankle." Wibble. "Sora it really hu-u-u-u-rts!"

"Okay, let me look." He crouched down.

Yuna couldn't hold back any longer. She leapt to her feet and slapped him on the head. "HA! IT!" Casting Haste on herself yet again Yuna scurried down the hallway, shrieking all the way.

Sora raced after her once again into the kitchen. It was like an obstacle course in there – the floor was littered with pots, pans, lids, huge metal serving spoons, spatulas and even a couple of sharp knives. Yuna was big on making a huge mess at the moment it seemed. She absolutely loved throwing things at Sora and he being a mature young man had wisely opted to not throw anything back at her (although he had wanted to so badly). Tifa was not going to be pleased when she saw the mess and Yuna would have to clear it up alone because he was an innocent party in the whole debacle.

"I'm behind you!"

Sora spun around just in time to see Yuna wave and shoot off in the bridge's direction. He grinned and raced after her. She was heading for a dead end. Zidane had locked the bridge off and there were no other ways to go. He found her looking hopelessly at the door. Yuna was cornered. She turned back and saw Sora closing in on her fast. He reached out with his hand, fingers just about to land on her shoulder. But Yuna wasn't going to lose to a boy! Utilising all excess of energy she turned to the locked door, ran at it and then ran up it. She pushed off and somersaulted over Sora's head. She'd seen Tifa do it all the time and had always wanted to try herself.

"Clever girl…" Sora muttered.

Yuna was clever but she was also short. And because she was short she couldn't jump that high. All Sora had to do was lift up his arms and pluck Yuna out the air. He did it…and went head over heels as her momentum dragged him along too. They landed in a heap of arms and legs, both a little dazed. Yuna was up first.

"Oooh nice try!"

Sora tapped her on the arm. "It!"

She hit him right back. "It!"

"It."

"It!"

"It."

"This is no fun!"

"You're still It."

Yuna finally, at long, long last, plopped down with an exhausted sigh. "No, I'm all done. I quit!"

"Finally!" Sora stood up, rubbing his It-gained bruises. "We've been at this for hours."

"Really?" Yuna stood up and brushed herself off. "Oh. Hm. Well then." She pulled her arm back and slapped Sora's with a wild laugh. "IT!" She raced off again. "YOU'RE SO GULLIBLE!"

"Yuna!"

And they were off again, racing back down the hallways in an apparently never-ending game.

Meanwhile the bridge was anything but playing at games. Tifa had tried to contact Atlantica several times but each time all she'd received were blasts of static. They were only fifteen minutes away now and with each failed call Tifa was all the more desperate to get there.

"What could've happened?" she said. "The Heartless?"

"Not likely," Red replied, closing his book and padding over to her side. "The world was sealed."

"I don't like this."

"Neither do I."

"Barret, go and get Sora. Tell him we'll be landing soon."

"Awright." Barret got up and cautiously left the bridge.

"Zidane?"

"He's sleeping," Red said.

Tifa shook her head. "With all the noise those two are making out there?"

"He's a teenager. When it comes to sleep human teenagers are like babies – they can sleep anywhere at any time."

"I never did."

"Yes well I believe it's an ability boys are more talented at."

"You haven't been doing human experiments have you?"

"No but I assure you it's very tempting. You humans are so very interesting for creatures with such short life spans."

"Thanks," Tifa laughed. "Just don't ever use me."

"I never would," Red assured with a feral grin. "I'll wake him up."

Red hopped up on the table and brushed his tail over Zidane's nose, the blond thief awakening thanks to an almighty sneeze. "Wha's goin' on?" he asked, sniffing and yawning. "We back?"

"Almost," Red explained, returned to the floor. "But something's wrong. We can't get in touch with Atlantica."

Zidane stretched and looked around. "Where're the others?"

"Galuf's still in his room and Barret's gone to fetch Sora and Yuna."

"Brave man."

"Indeed."

There was silence for an all too brief moment as Red and Zidane stood with Tifa. Then Barret returned.

"If you two don't pipe down I'm gonna have Tifa cast Silence on both've ya! Shut it!"

"Hey I didn't say anything!"

"Put me down! Put me down, put me down, PUT ME DOWN!"

"Stop kickin'!"

"Let me go!"

"No."

"Yuna…"

"I wanna play! Put me down!"

"Ow! Watch yer feet! Damn. You ain't worn her out yet Sora?"

"Um…no. But Barret?"

"Yeah?"

"Couldn't you at least put me down?"

Despite the tense situation Zidane couldn't swallow the snort of laughter that burst out when he and the others turned to see Barret with Yuna writhing like an angry snake under one arm and Sora under the other looking quite calm and maybe even a little worn out.

"Oh, sorry kid." And Barret plopped Sora back on his own feet.

"That's not fair! Let me down too!"

"You missy ain't goin' nowhere 'til you calm down!"

"Maybe it's an allergic reaction to all those Elixirs," Zidane said. "I've seen hyper but nothing quite like this."

"I'm not hyper!"

"Ah, in a few years time Yuna the word will be 'drunk' not 'hyper'. I hope I'm there to see it."

"Zidane, focus a little," Red muttered.

"Oh! Right. Um. How about we lock her in a room and let her run around until she's all tuckered out?"

"She's been running around for two hours," Sora pointed out. "It didn't work."

"Fine, then I guess we'll just have to get her to burn off the energy with some powerful magic. There are practise chambers she can use in Atlantica."

"Great because I am never, ever, ever playing It again. Never."

Zidane patted him on the shoulder. "It's a sad day when childhood ends."

"Huh?"

Before anyone could say anything else there came an urgent bleeping from the communications console. Tifa hurriedly answered the signal. It was Terra.

"We've got a very big problem."

"What is it?"

"Tsuko's trying to escape. There are people here loyal to him and they're all attempting to help. We've got a nasty stalemate on our hands – people just keep killing and wounding one another but there's no progress for either side."

"Damn. Okay we're on our way."

"Tifa there's one other problem."

"What?"

"The water's rising. If we don't get out of here in the next day or so we're going to be underwater."


	50. Chapter 50

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Fifty

They made it to Atlantica shortly after Terra's call. The sea was rapidly rising, the base barely visible up ahead. The water was already lapping against the building, reaching up to the windows on the ground floor. Hidden among the other ships, all of which seemed to be in working condition, to avoid attack (Tsuko's people had already used the base's outer defences to try and shoot the ship down once) the group were rapidly coming to a decision on their next course of action.

The plan was set out quickly. Tifa, Barret (who was muttering a lot about a great dislike of swimming) and Sora would try and break into the base on foot while Red stayed on the ship with Zidane and Yuna doing his best to back the party up from the air while wirelessly hacking into the base's security camera network to give the party on the ground live updates of enemy positions. Barret had also left Yuna the Ultima materia under the express order to only use it in emergency.

It was Sora who pointed out the flaw in that plan. "We can't use magic on Atlantica, remember? There's that weird anti-magic thing."

Everyone looked at each other, slowly recalling that critical piece of information from the depths of their memories.

"But aren't their rooms in the base where magic users practise?" Zidane said. "I'm sure I…"

"No, those rooms are for combat training." Tifa groaned. "I can't believe I forgot about the no magic rule!"

"Must be that Sin toxin thing," Sora suggested.

"Old age more like," Red smirked.

Zidane gave the four-legged creature a slap on the head. "Do behave!"

"I wanna come too!" Yuna burst out.

"No," Tifa said firmly. "Without magic you'll be in too much danger."

"You can stay and help me," Red patiently ordered Yuna. "Do everything I tell you and under no circumstances break my rules."

"Okay, okay! Do what Red says I got it! Hah, Red says… It kinda rhymes only it doesn't but it should!"

Red looked pleadingly at Tifa. "Are you sure you won't require her assistance?"

"Red how could you even suggest it? We're putting her in enough danger as it is!"

"Fine, fine. But if she drives me insane I shall, in what remains of my psyche, blame you."

"Stop complaining and get to work."

Tifa followed Sora and Barret off the bridge. Barret was opening the hatch, grumbling constantly that under no circumstances would he do any swimming because he had no intention of drowning. The real reason for his unending torrent of grumbling was to help him deal with his concern for Marlene who was somewhere on Atlantica. Everyone know Barret would single-handedly tear the base apart in order to protect his daughter. Her own concern for Marlene triggered Tifa's memory and she suddenly recalled the materia she had yet to give Sora. She walked to his side and tapped him on the shoulder.

"There's something I need to give you before you go." Tifa reached into a pocket and pulled out two orbs of materia – one red and the other blue. "It's Phoenix and Final Attack. We can't use it here I know but it may come in useful later on. If you're taken out in a battle this summon paired with Final Attack will revive you and anyone else on your side who's been taken out." She passed the materia to him. "I hope you never have to use it."

Sora pushed them deep into his pockets. "Same here. Thanks Tifa. I'll take good care of them."

Then they were following Barret who'd already jumped off the ship. Thanks to his great height the water barely reached his hips and the tides didn't affect him at all. Tifa went next, the water reaching her chest. She grabbed Barret's hand to stay standing as the water tried to pull her away. Then Sora took the plunge. He'd expected his feet to land on solid ground a lot sooner than they did. Instead he went under the water before his feet touched the ground. Standing up straight, his head broke the surface. The very, very cold water was up to his neck. Luckily he was a powerful swimmer and held his own against the tide. Nevertheless, Sora thought with a sigh, he really needed to grow.

"Ya look like a drowned rat!"

"Thanks."

"Come on, let's get moving. We've got a job to do," Tifa said firmly, although the twinkle in her eye betrayed her amusement. At least she wasn't laughing outright like Barret.

The trio waded (or swam) across the empty patch of land between the Chocobo stables and the base itself. Thankfully it was slightly sloped so it wasn't too long before Sora no longer had to swim to keep up with Barret and Tifa.

"So how do we get in?" Barret asked. "Ain't like we can jes' stroll through the front door."

"Don't worry, there's another way in. Terra and I came up with it a while ago in case of Heartless activity but we kept it pretty quiet. I hope no one's found it."

"More like y'better hope it ain't flooded."

Tifa's door was located in the rock the base was built upon. It was just barely above water level, uneven natural steps leading up to it. Tifa bent down to pick up a rock. Beneath it was a large black switch and after she pressed it there was a loud rumble as part of the rock slid away to reveal a long, dark corridor. The water crept up behind them as they entered the shaft.

"It won't be long before this place really is underwater," Sora commented from the rear. "I'm sorry. If I had realised…"

"You did the right thing Sora." Tifa called from in front. "Besides this world was once all underwater. You were just putting things back the way they belong."

"Yeah and we don't wanna be here when it's all sea again."

"Ain't nothin' truer been said," Barret muttered, adding: "I don't swim. It ain't natural for people to swim when they can't breathe underwater."

They fell silent as they walked. The rocky wall was changing into a more manmade façade, smooth tiles pasted to the surface. The lights were white and growing harsher as they closed in on the base. Tifa reached the door that opened up onto the lowest levels of the building and pushed it carefully. To her gratification it opened without the slightest protest. She led Sora and Barret out into what appeared to be a maintenance cupboard. There were brooms, mops, cloths and chemical cleaning agents everywhere, the smells of which were making Sora's head spin. They hurried out, closing the cupboard and finding themselves lost behind the piles of disused equipment strewn throughout the base's basement.

"Figured it'd be a good disguise," Tifa whispered as she began climbing out. "No one would think to look down here."

Barret went ahead even more gingerly than Tifa. He was a big man and negotiating the tight spaces quietly wasn't easy for him. Sora had no trouble whatsoever and made it to the other side via crawling through the spaces between equipment. At fifteen he was taller than he'd been a year ago but had by no means reached his adult height. It was times like this being a little short came in handy. He was peeking out into the corridor beyond while Tifa and Barret were still only halfway across the room. He heard footsteps and caught sight of a shadow on the staircase at the far end of the hall. There came a buzzing voice but Sora couldn't make out the words. Whoever was on the stairs answered with an "All clear in the basement." The question, of course, was what side was the person on? Sora decided to take a risk and approached. Holding both the Keyblades he approached the stairs, wondering all the while what he was going to ask the person he was about to come across. When they're eyes met neither seemed to know what to do. Both hesitated but it was Sora who made the first demand.

"Whose side are you on?"

The young woman, probably only Zidane's age, reached instantly for the radio. Sora didn't let her speak. Oathkeeper slammed into her hand, breaking both bones and the radio. She let out a cry of pain, black hair falling across her face as she went down on her knees.

"Where's Tsuko?"

"Like I'd tell you."

"Why are you siding with him? He tried to destroy worlds with Metsu and Yuki!"

"So what? They were going to destroy the worlds the Heartless have taken. It means nothing to me!"

Sora was at a loss. He didn't know what to do with the girl. It wasn't really in his nature to harm someone who could no longer attack him. He stood guard over her until the others caught up with him. Barret took charge of the girl, grabbing her and knocking her out with a heavy blow to the head. Sora winced, as did Tifa, but neither protested as Barret threw her over his shoulder and lugged her up the stairs. After all, they couldn't leave her down there to drown when the water got too high.

The stairs led out onto the medical floor. It was deadly quiet, with only a few hushed voices drifting from some unidentifiable location. Barret dumped the girl on a bed before following behind Tifa and Sora. They were heading for the stairs that would lead them to the main level. Sora was painfully aware they didn't have a plan of any kind but he comforted himself with the knowledge that in his life he'd rarely come up with plans yet he'd survived plenty of troubles. However that didn't mean this was going to be a walk in the park or…

"Who goes there?"

Weapons raised, all three spun to face the voice that had spoken. When they saw that the head poking out the door was that of Shera, everyone relaxed. She beckoned them into her office, closing the door quietly. She quickly explained how, after evacuating Hollow Bastion, she'd wound up on Atlantica only to get involved in Tsuko's bid to take control.

"No one's entirely sure how he broke out of custody but he did. Now his people have me treating their injuries. If I don't they say they'll kill their prisoners."

"Do you know where he is?" Sora asked.

"Not exactly but I get the feeling he's in one of the offices on the top floor. I suppose he figures up there will be the last place to flood."

"What about Marlene?" Barret demanded, not quite controlling the anxious tone of his voice. "Have you seen her?"

Shera's smile was positively radiant. "Marlene!" she called. "There's someone here to see you!"

From a closet in the back of the office came an excited squeal and then a blur shot across the room and launched itself into Barret's chest. Sora blinked and realised a little girl with dark hair clutched the big man, smiling but crying at the same time.

"Daddy! You came!"

"Marlene!" Barret hugged her tightly. "You're awright? You ain't hurt at all?"

"I'm fine. I've been helping Miss Shera here and she's been looking after me."

Barret gave the doctor a nod of thanks. "Thanks."

"Any time."

There was a soft beep from Tifa's pocket and she pulled out her PHS. There was a text message alert on the screen. It was from Red. He'd hacked into the base's mainframe and taken all the weapons offline and made it so the security cameras only sent their live feed to the ship.

"We need to split up," Sora said. "We need to find Terra, Tsuko and make sure the escape route stays safe in case we need to get out quick." He was quick to delegate. "Tifa find Terra. She can fill you in and then you can meet up with Barret who'll keep the route out safe. If that one gets flooded…"

"It will," Barret calmly interposed, placing Marlene back on her own feet.

"Then I guess you can join with Terra's side and fight off Tsuko's people."

"And meanwhile you're gonna go after the final boss hi'self?"

"Sure."

"What will you do with him?" Tifa asked.

Sora gave a sheepish grin. "Yeah I'm working on that."

"Terra will probably be in the living quarters," Shera provided. "It's where she was last I saw her."

"All right, let's go," Tifa said. "Shera, you didn't see us."

She waved one hand dismissively, taking hold of Marlene's with the other. "Patients to see. We'll be ready to go soon."

"Stay safe Marlene."

"I will Daddy."

"Yuna's on the ship. She'll be glad to have a friend."

"Great! I can't wait to see her."

Barret went back downstairs, leaving Tifa and Sora alone to head upwards. Once they were on the main level they went their separate ways. The dormitories had a separate set of stairs leading up to them. The idea had been to protect people from a Heartless attack if one occurred in the middle of the night. Now it was just acting as a stronghold for one of Atlantica's factions.

"We'll join you as soon as we can," Tifa promised. "Don't get in too much trouble."

"And when do I do that?"

Tifa gave him a playful shove on the shoulder. "Don't go there."

Sora headed up the same stairs Zidane had taken him up so long ago. This time the door wasn't shut. In fact the door was gone altogether, blown off at the hinges by some kind of explosion. All the meeting rooms were in a terrible mess, furniture strewn everywhere. There was blood in places too. Keyblades in his hands, Sora moved onwards. The blood was getting thicker and fresher but the silence beyond the rising waters never broke. Sora headed up another floor but there was still nothing beyond the abandoned kitchens and empty training rooms. Where the hell was everyone?

Sora was running out of places to find people. Before he really wanted to he found himself on the top floor. There was his answer. He found everyone.

Dead. They were all dead. Dead and still bleeding with faces frozen in horror or agony.

The PHS began vibrating in his back pocket. Pulling it out, Sora answered Tifa's call. "It's not good," he said by way of greeting. The air was tainted by a metallic smell. "It's really, really not good."

"They're all dead."

"Yeah. They're very dead." Before Sora could go on he heard something up ahead. It sounded like someone knocked something onto the floor. "I gotta go Tifa."

"Sora wai-"

Hanging up Sora pushed the phone back into his pocket and disengaged his mind as he began stepping over bodies to make his way towards the noise. His boots left bloody prints on the floor. At times the grip on the soles gave out, his feet skidding so badly Sora opted to walk with his hands touching lightly on the wall. He winced when his fingers brushed through blood, leaving warmth trickling down his fingers.

"This can't be good."

"Depends on your definition of good I imagine."

By now he should've been able to anticipate all and any unexpected visitors. But he never did. So when he turned and saw her walking out of an office, Sora couldn't quite keep the surprise off his face.

"I thought you were dead."

Reina's haggard face arranged itself into something resembling a smile. "Oh, I am. But people have a funny way of not staying perfectly dead these days." Her greasy, messy pink hair fell over her gaunt face. "Did you miss me?"

Sora's hands tightened around the Keyblades but he remained silent.

"I met your friend. We got on very well. I'll show you what he gave me." Reina held out her emaciated arms, her hands crossed over one another. Her fingers began to meld together and within a heartbeat her hands were guns, flesh and dripping with blood.

"Where's Tsuko?"

"Behind you."

Sora looked. She wasn't lying. Tsuko was there. He stood with his head bowed. "Is he…?"

"Dead?"

"Yeah."

Tsuko's head moved. It moved down. Down, down. Down until it wasn't on his neck anymore. Down until it fell. Tsuko's head was on the floor. Moments later his body, blood gushing like a river from the neck, was there too.

"Is he dead enough for you?" Reina asked, twisted humour in her tone. "I wouldn't know how to make him deader." She aimed both her guns at Sora. "Perhaps you'll teach me how."

Her bullets ricocheted off the Keyblades as Sora spun them in front of him, backing up closer to Tsuko's body. "Why are you here? The Heartless can't come here."

"But the Fallen can."

"Fallen?"

"I'm not allowed tell you about us. Your friend told me to let you figure it out for yourself. You'll get there eventually won't you Sora? You've always been a little slow right?" She raised the guns again. "I can tell you that I need you and all the others to die though. Tell you what, if I kill you I'll let you in on the secret right before you die okay?"

She fired again. Sora dodged the bullets and moved to attack. He couldn't knock the weapons out her hands. Maybe he could just break her hands off instead?

He almost baulked. What was he thinking?

There wasn't time for hesitation. Sora swung Oblivion round in time to knock Reina's arms off target. Her bullets shot through a window, shattering the glass. Suddenly the sea could be heard roaring. Sora risked a glance. The water had risen to a higher level. It really wouldn't be long before the whole base was underwater.

"What good will this place do you anyway?" Sora asked, looking back at Reina. "Soon it'll be flooded."

"You should know better than anyone, that's what he says." She lashed out so quickly Sora couldn't stop her. Her foot caught his chin, sending him into a twisting fall.

"I can't believe I'm asking this but…why can't I hear him?"

"Are you jealous?" Reina smirked. "Fear not. Even if you can't hear him here," she tapped her head. "He's always with you in here," and she patted her heart. "Never forget."

"Why did you kill Tsuko?" Sora demanded, wishing he'd never asked. "He wasn't the nicest person but…"

"Revenge of course. The master wished for his death and I was only too happy to oblige. Tsuko betrayed him as much as Yuki and Metsu. It was only a matter of time before he was killed too. You side with scum and you'll die with them too."

"What about me?" Sora finally stood up again, trying to ignore the ringing in his ears. "What will you do with me?"

"I want to kill you, really I do, but I've just been informed that I can't kill you, if that's what worries you."

"Not so much. But you're not having this world. You're not having any of them."

"I came to clear the rubbish. This world will be ours but we have no place for the people already here." Reina smiled, her hands changing into silver blades. The edges were so sharp all she needed was one well-aimed strike and someone's head would roll. That certainly explained Tsuko. "But you're not quite done yet. Beat me and I'll give you something. Lose and let's just say the pain will make you wish I was allowed to kill you."

Their weapons met with a resounding clang in midair, sparks glittering and blood spurting as the Keyblades pounded again and again on the weapons made from Reina's body. She fell back under Sora's relentless assault, her feet pulling her away whether she wanted to go or not. But she wasn't out of tricks yet. She ducked down but stabbed upwards at the same time, forcing Sora to defend himself from her blades and taking his attention away from her feet. Down low she swept her right leg in an arc, knocking Sora's legs from beneath him. He crashed to the ground, too surprised for a moment to comprehend how it had happened. Then before he could get up Reina was there, knives aiming to stab him through the eyes. Sora threw her blades off course with Oblivion and rolled upwards, kicking her out the way as he moved. Both recovered their balance and met head on, Sora moving just that bit slower. Reina's daggers were pressing down heavily on Oathkeeper and Oblivion but he wasn't going to lose to a girl. With a growl of effort he pushed her off and moved into Ars Arcanum, the hallway barely big enough to accommodate both the Keyblades attacking in tandem and he brought down huge chunks from the ceiling and out of the walls. Reina collapsed under the furious attack and the raining debris. She tried to fight back but she was blinded with dust. Sora finished her off with a spinning blow, twisting round and slashing into her first with a low cut across the chest from Oblivion and a high gouge down the face and neck from Oathkeeper. She fell to her backside and didn't get up.

As the dust began to clear Reina started laughing, the sound hardly joyful. "When you fight you are a completely different person, aren't you? All that cheerfulness and optimism is gone and in its place is a determined killer. Are you really the right person to rest in between light and dark? Maybe you didn't go far enough when you left the other place behind."

"What are you…"

"Talking about? It hardly matters. Here." She tossed him a small box. The design was identical to that of the boxes that had come out of the Keyholes. "That's the last part of the message. You would've found it in Hollow Bastion but you failed that world, didn't you? Master doesn't mind. He hates that world and it's pathetic traitors." Reina sat a little straighter, tilting her head back. Her lumpy hair slunk off her sweaty forehead. "Go on then, finish me off."

"No. Reina you can't be…"

"Fallen? Yes I can. Snow White did kill me you know. This is what I get for killing one of the Master's beauties. I see how erroneous my ways were now. So go on, kill me."

"No."

"Fine. Have it your way." Reina pulled herself up. Sora raised the Keyblades, ready for another round. "I'll see you when you go home."

"Go home?"

But before he could do or say anything else Reina threw three silver pellets to the ground. Each one exploded into choking smoke, leaving Sora blinded. Coughing, he groped his way downstairs where the air was fresher. Reina was gone without a trace. And yet Sora knew exactly where he'd find her. And when he did he'd…

Would he really have to kill her? Was it really killing when the one dying was no longer quite human?

Eyes dry and itching, Sora grabbed his PHS and dialled a number as best he could through squinted vision. The line connected.

"Sora?"

"Yeah, it's me. Did you find Terra?"

"I did," Tifa confirmed. "But there were a lot of dead bodies on the way here. How about you? Have you dealt with Tsuko?"

"I didn't have to."

"You mean he just listened to what you had to say?" Tifa sounded highly sceptical.

"No I mean he was already dead. Tifa… I have some bad news." Without beating around the bush Sora filled her in on Reina.

"And she's gonna be waiting on Destiny Islands?"

"I think so."

"Okay. Get back to the ship quick. The water's rising a lot faster. Don't worry about the others – Barret and Shera have already evacuated the survivors to some of the other ships."

"Got it."

Sora hung up and looked at the box he still clutched in his hand. He could hear the water behind him, growing louder with each breaking wave but his curiosity was, as always, overpowering. He opened it and pulled out the scrap of paper. The words were no surprise but they still gave Sora's stomach a funny turn.

 _The one who wields the mightiest weapon of all,_

 _The Keyblade's Master…_

 _The fallen one will take all he holds dear._

There was no time to stand there and ponder the blatant meaning. Sora reached the stairs that would take him to the main level and hit a major snag. The floor was flooded. There was only one choice. He had to go back up and climb to the roof.

Running as fast as he could Sora returned to the top floor. He stepped uneasily through the bodies, trying not to disturb any of them although he wasn't entirely sure why. A silly childish notion in the back of his mind quivered with terror at the thought of seeing so many dead people. But he didn't have time to freeze with fear. Using Oathkeeper to smash a window, Sora leaned out and looked down. The water was racing upwards, smashing through windows and flooding the lower levels. Sora reached out to a drainage pipe that climbed to the roof and pulled himself up, using all his strength to not skid back down. It was tough going. If he fell into the water he'd go under and never be found in time. Straining every muscle Sora managed to pull himself onto the roof. In his pocket the PHS gave a shrill ring. He grabbed it and ran to the centre of the roof. It was the last safe haven. The water was almost on his level, tides ripping it in every direction.

"Sora where are you?" It was Red.

"I'm on the roof. I can't get to the ground."

"We're coming! Hold on!"

There was nothing other than a satellite dish to hold on to and the water was creeping onto the roof, racing to reclaim the world. Cold and wet, Sora clung to the satellite as he looked out over the rough sea. Waves began to sweep up over his head, crashing down and leaving him spluttering. But never once did he let go of the satellite. Not even when his fingers grew so cold he could barely feel them. Not even when he was left underwater for several heart-stopping seconds until the water levelled out. Not even when…

 _Silent._

 _It was always silent._

 _A familiar landscape frozen solid. The people have gone. The one he loves the most has gone. She's nowhere to be seen. Everything has just stopped. Even the sea has fallen still. Maybe he'd never make it move. The only thing that did move was the blizzard, screaming furiously across the grim sky. Maybe he'd just…_

"…on! Grab my hand!"

Jolted back to reality Sora looked up. Zidane was above him, hanging from the ship by a harness and a strong rope. His hand was outstretched…so familiar… and Sora reached, letting go of the satellite. But…just like that other time… he couldn't reach. Another wave crashed into him, sending him sidelong into the surf.

 _Maybe he'd just freeze as well._

The water tugged him down. No matter how hard he fought he couldn't reach the surface. He hadn't had time to breathe deep before the waters rushed over his head. This was it.

 _Blizzaga._

The underwater world of Atlantica had always been blue. But Sora's eyes saw it all in a new colour. Black. Everything was as black as if it were made out of shadows. He looked down to his left hand and saw Oblivion. Everything suddenly became clear in his head.

No.

 _You owe me._

No!

But Oblivion wouldn't go away. Sora couldn't dismiss it.

 _Darkness is my greatest strength. Light is yours but it's hard to use light in a place where it is all but gone. So you walk in between, guarding and separating the opposing forces. But right now if you don't use the darkness you will die._

I won't!

But he would. He really was going to die.

 _Do it._

A black light shot out the Keyblade's tip. Sora felt something almighty wrench in his heart.

How are you making me do this?

 _It isn't me. You're doing this yourself. Your heart knows what it must do. The Keyblades know what they must do._

Something solid met Sora's feet and propelled him upwards. He was out of the water and standing on a column of ice but he couldn't pull air into his lungs. All his vision could see was darkness. The water below him wasn't receding.

It was freezing.

The ship, with his friends on board, waited above him. "What are you doing!" Zidane hollered. "Sora!"

What am I doing?

 _Freezing this world of course._

"No."

 _Done._

The world around him grew darker.

"No!"

The world died.

"NO!"

Sora had never screamed so loudly in his life.


	51. Chapter 51

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Fifty-One

 _There was a knock at the door. He looked at his mother nervously. She met his gaze with a firm look. "Answer it and tell her why you can't go."_

 _Leaving his toys behind he got up and went to the door meekly, doing his best to stay completely quiet. Reaching up on tiptoes he pulled the handle down and opened the door._

 _"Good morning Sora! Me and Riku are gonna go over to the island and draw in the cave! You wanna come?"_

 _He looked down at his shuffling feet. "I'm not allowed."_

 _Kairi blinked and then whispered, "Did you do something bad?"_

 _"Very bad."_

 _"What did you do?" she asked, still whispering._

 _He turned away, moving to close the door. "I don't want to tell you."_

 _"Sora…"_

 _"I'm not allowed come out and play for a while because I was very bad. I'm sorry. I'll see you later."_

 _When the door closed it was as though it barred the sun as well as separating them. For a heart-stopping moment Kairi felt as though she'd never see him again._

 _She ran away in tears, not knowing why she reacted so badly._

Kairi awoke with a horrible noise echoing in her mind. Her heart was pounding and her breath came in uneven sobs. Her red hair fell free of its tie and covered her face. Tears filled her eyes. The horror she felt was a mixture of her own and someone else's.

"Sora…what happened?"

There was a soft knock on her bedroom door. Gathering herself and trying to make her appearance a little less shocking, Kairi called for her guest to enter. Donald and Goofy came in, both looking worried.

"Are you okay Kairi?" Goofy asked. "We heard you when we were walking by."

"We were taking our watch," Donald filled in.

"Did you have a bad dream?" Goofy asked.

Donald lit a few candles with a low level Fire spell. "You can tell us. Don't worry." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a handkerchief. "Now, what's troubling you?"

Kairi rubbed her eyes with the hanky and wiped away some of the sweat. "It wasn't really a dream. It was a memory of this time when Sora, Riku and I were little and Sora wasn't allowed come out to play because he'd done something wrong."

"What did he do?" Donald asked curiously. As cheerful and energetic as Sora was the wizard couldn't imagine him misbehaving any more than a normal child.

"It was just after his Dad died. Sora didn't understand and he thought his Dad had run away and wasn't coming back. So he tore up all his Dad's clothes and smashed the things his Dad had bought his Mom. He thought he was helping because he didn't want his Mom to miss her husband anymore. But she didn't take it that way."

"I guess she was pretty mad," Goofy said, his voice quiet and sad.

"Yeah she was. And Sora… he was so unhappy after that for the longest time. Even when his Mom forgave him and let him come out to play again he was so withdrawn."

"When good people make mistakes it hurts them more than people who always do bad things," Donald said.

"Definitely."

"But that don't explain why you sounded so upset Kairi," Goofy pointed out.

She rubbed a hand over her chest. "There was just a feeling of pain – not physical but emotional. It was like nothing I've ever known before in my life." She steadily met her friends' gazes. "Donald, Goofy, I think it was Sora."

In the dark of the night, the three spent countless hours trying to reassure each other their missing companion was fine.

They didn't do very well.

He was curled up on the stone floor. Aside from him there was nothing, not even a bed. His eyes were open but not really seeing the blank room in front of him. His mind had finally released him from the nightmares but reality had little joy to give him. He was warm but only because someone else had had the presence of mind to place a blanket over him. That someone had also placed a heavy chain around his ankle, keeping him locked to the wall. Maybe they were afraid of him now. Maybe he was afraid of himself.

It had all gone so wrong. There was nothing to be done. He'd destroyed a whole world and now the people who should've trusted him the most had him locked in a cell.

 _That's what happens when you do the one thing you swore you'd never do._

They thought he was dangerous.

 _You are._

Why hadn't there been another way?

 _The other way was death._

What could he do now?

 _Face the truth._

"This is wrong. This is all so wrong."

"I know Zidane and I'm sorry but for all we know he could be a threat to us."

"A threat? A threat? How can you say that? This is Sora we're talking about. Sora who lets a little girl tie his hair in bunches and run him ragged around a ship. What happened before was just an accident."

"Zidane…"

"Don't even start Tifa."

"I don't want to be doing this either but Atlantica is gone because he did something only he can do."

"You've trusted in people who've endangered worlds before Tifa, Barret told me. Why is he any different?"

She refused to meet his eyes. "I don't know."

"You're a poor liar."

"I don't like this either Zidane." Tifa met his dark gaze, their eyes burning into one another's. "I hate what we're doing. But this is too strange and we already know there's someone very dangerous out there who's controlled him before. What if that person is here now, trying to trick us? We could only create more tragedies."

Red looked up at the pair before settling his gaze on Zidane. "We'll sort it all out but the fact remains that Atlantica has completely gone and until we know how and why Sora isn't leaving this room."

Zidane turned away from both of them. "I won't let you treat him like a traitor."

He walked out, thoroughly disgusted. In the corridor outside a perfectly calm Yuna stood waiting. All her excess energies had been used on Curaga spells to heal the wounded from Atlantica. The two ships that had left that world behind landed at the Coliseum days ago, the hot world the new safe house for all of Hollow Bastion and Atlantica's former residents. Yuna hurried after Zidane, following him down the passage and out of the Coliseum's makeshift cellblock.

"What happened?" the girl called out, her little legs unable to match Zidane's rapid pace. "Are they going to let Sora out now?"

Zidane slowed down but refused to stop. "No they aren't. They're just gonna leave him in there. He needs a friend to talk to, not have us standing in there demanding explanations. Something bad happened and we'll never understand why if we don't take a step back and wait for Sora to come to terms with what he did."

"Zidane?"

Yuna's tearful tone finally brought the blond to a standstill. He turned back to face her and found her sobbing. He quickly turned back and pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry Yuna. I didn't mean to be so angry."

"Did Sora really…did he really destroy Atlantica?"

"Yeah, he did." Zidane's voice was grim. "But don't you ever believe he did it on purpose. He'd never do something like that."

"I know. So why can't I see him?"

"Because I'm not entirely sure if he's really there right now."

The pair went outside, grateful to return to the fresher air. They found Barret with Terra and Marlene doling out various supplies such as tents and camp cookers to the people lined up in front of them. Yuna and Marlene quickly headed off together and sat in the shade of the Coliseum's ruins playing Tetra Master. Barret and Terra replaced themselves with another pair of volunteers and walked with Zidane to a quieter area.

"Well?" Barret asked. "Has he said anything?"

"Nothing," Zidane replied glumly. "He's in shock. Shera's been with him on and off but she can't seem to bring him out of it. At the very least he's awake now. Then again he hasn't slept in over twenty-four hours so I dunno what was better."

"Damn," Barret punched a sandy pillar with his real hand. "We're stumped until he comes out of it."

"I still can't believe it," Terra said quietly. "First he told us Reina was there and then all of a sudden he's destroying the world."

"He didn't do that on purpose!" Zidane almost yelled, getting the attention of all those in earshot. "Look," he continued in a quieter tone, "I don't know what happened but I thought Sora was going to die when that wave knocked him under."

"Are you saying maybe he did what he did in order to save himself?" Terra interpreted.

"Have you got a better explanation?"

"Well no but that's hardly feasible."

"Until Sora tells me 'Yeah Zidane, I destroyed Atlantica 'cause I'm the most evil person you ever knew in disguise' I'll never believe anything other than it was an honest mistake."

"It's jes' a shame Sora's mistakes destroy worlds," Barret commented.

Zidane left alone. He needed a hot drink to ponder over. He had to help his friend. Mug of coffee in hand he sat at a table in the canteen area and mulled things over, occasionally sipping his drink. He was so engrossed in his thoughts he hardly noticed Tifa coming to sit with him.

"I know you're worried. We all are, including Red. He just doesn't want anyone to get hurt – Sora included. You saw what he did Zidane. We have to deal with that first before anything else." She reached out and placed her hand on top of his. "Do you want to come with me? I'm going to talk with Sora. I think he'd appreciate us trying to help him."

"Yeah, I'm sure he'll appreciate being locked up someday too." Zidane drained the rest of his drink. "I'll come. But Tifa," Zidane clenched Tifa's hand tightly, his eyes beseeching hers. "Please can we at least untie him? Please?"

She nodded. "Red wants to as well. He knows we made a bad decision. I should've put up more of a fight but we were just…"

"Worried. It's okay. I can understand it but I'll never agree to it."

The pair returned inside. Red had gone elsewhere but Galuf, crutches and all, was seated outside Sora's cell. His expression was closer to a grimace than a smile when he greeted the pair. "He hasn't moved or spoken. He just lies there and blinks every now and there. That's something to be thankful for I suppose. Are you going in? Ah, it seems Zidane's already picked the lock."

"I am a thief you know," Zidane retorted from inside the room.

Rolling her eyes, Tifa left Galuf outside and followed Zidane into the room. For a moment Sora didn't react. Then, ever so slowly, he raised his dull blue eyes to look at them both. It wasn't much but it was the first movement he'd made in quite some time.

Tifa crouched down. "Sora, are you all right?"

Nothing.

"That's a stupid question Tifa."

Tifa ignored him. "Give me a hand. Let's sit him up."

Together they pulled Sora up. Zidane tried a different tactic. "You know Sora this'd be a lot easier if you helped. Come on, move a leg."

There came the sound of metal chains brushing over concrete. Sora, face completely blank, moved his left leg back and forth. The chain tugged the bolt that fastened it to the wall.

"Oh you're funny all right," Zidane muttered. He and Tifa left Sora's chained leg bent to one side. "A real comedian. If I could I'd let you out I would but some smart ar…"

"Language."

"…Smart person thought magically chaining you to the wall was a nice idea." Zidane sat cross-legged on the floor. "Sorry. Magic isn't really my thing. I can't get it off."

Tifa sat down as well, reaching out and lifting Sora's chin. Their eyes met, whether Sora wanted to look at her or not. "It's going to be all right. I know what you did was wrong and I know that you're afraid and ashamed of what you did. But no matter what mistake you made there's a way to make up for it." In the back of her mind a little voice niggled away, telling her there was absolutely no way to repay the debt of destroying an entire world. "I don't know half of what goes on in there," she tapped his head. "But if I can I'll help you. We all will." She shifted her hand to his cheek. "You know that, right? I don't hate you. No one hates you. We just want to help." Tifa drew him into an embrace. "No one hates you."

It was as though those words were a hammer that finally thumped a tiny but very significant crack in the wall Sora had barricaded himself behind. Gradually his arms lifted up and as he embraced Tifa, he leaned a little more into her arms.

"I'm sorry."

"I know."

"I didn't understand it."

"That's okay."

He didn't say any more. Tifa pulled back. This time Sora looked at her. His face was still blank and his eyes were still haunted but at least he acknowledged her. "You stay here with Zidane. I've got some things to see to. I'll bring you back something to eat as well. You must be starving."

Tifa left, closing the door behind her.

Sora's eyes shifted to Zidane who was grinning broadly. "What do you say I find an axe and break you out?"

"All right." The words were blank, empty of any feeling.

"Won't be long!" Zidane breezed out the room.

Sora's eyes fell upon the open door. Outside. Outside there were people. Outside there were people who would look at him. There were people who would look and whisper and point and be afraid. Maybe he shouldn't leave. Maybe going outside was a bad idea. What if something happened?

 _One world out of many isn't so bad. I would've destroyed it myself later. Who wants to live in an ocean?_

He didn't mean to do it.

 _But you did it. How will anyone ever trust you again if you don't face up to it?_

"…I don't know…"

There was only one thing to hold on to. His hand slipped into his pocket and tightened around Oathkeeper.

They didn't hate him.

Morning dawned and found Kairi in the library with the others. The redheaded girl was still greatly troubled by the upheaval of the night but the day was promising to be bright so she resolved to be cheery along with the sun. Kairi couldn't help but laugh at the sight of Yuffie. The self-proclaimed "Great Ninja" looked as though she had been dragged out of bed. Yuffie's eyes were barely open and her hair was all over the place. She held a steaming mug of tea so lightly Kairi feared she'd drop it altogether.

"I've made a breakthrough!" Merlin announced and with a dramatic wave of his hands gestured to a pile of very old books. "Now normally in order to pass from one…let's call them universes…so yes, in order to pass from one universe to another one must go through a Keyhole. Ah but there's more – one more often than not must be summoned there. In Sora's case it's most likely the Keyblade took him where it needed him to go."

"But we can't go through a Keyhole without unsealing one and doing that would unleash the Heartless," Leon pointed out coolly.

"Exactly and I do believe that is a problem I may have found a solution to." Merlin tapped the books. "You see these are very old, very powerful books with spells even I haven't heard of. There are many spells within them that talk of passing between universes and I'm rather confident they would work – especially on worlds where these strange new Heartless have appeared."

"What are we waiting for?" Donald demanded. "Let's get going."

"There is one drawback."

There was a collective 'we should've known' sigh among the group.

"Yes, yes dreadfully sorry but there always is when one is dealing with magics as dark and ancient as these."

"Kinda makes y'wonder why the King had the books lurking in the library huh?" Goofy commented.

"One would hope it's for the safety of others. After all the King certainly knows the danger of such power and undoubtedly desires for such things to never fall into the wrong hands."

"You haven't told us the drawback," Cloud stated calmly.

"Oh, so sorry! Yes of course. These magics are very, very dark and more significantly too powerful to control myself. I would need at least three powerful magic users to aid me."

"Aerith and I can help," Donald said and Aerith gave an agreeable nod. "But I dunno who the third could be."

"How about me?"

For a moment everyone was completely still and silent. Kairi moved first. She was the only one who did. She ran at him and threw her arms around him, standing on tiptoes so she could reach. All his wrong doings meant nothing to her. He was all right and he was standing in front of her, laughing and hugging her back.

"Riku!"

He lifted her off the ground so she didn't have to stretch. "Kairi I'm so glad you're okay."

"What happened? Where have you been? Are you sure you're all right?" He let her down. Kairi stepped back and looked at him a little more curiously, noticing his black trench coat. "Why are you dressed like that? How did you get here?"

"Kairi," his voice was deeper than before, calmer and stronger too. "It's a long story and we don't have a lot of time. You've got to go and find Sora soon. Something bad has happened here and there's only one reason."

Kairi's joy fractured. "What's happened?"

Riku looked at her before addressing the whole group. "Atlantica has been frozen. It's like a huge ball of ice just hanging in space. There's no way to get onto the world. It means whatever's happened in the In-Between Universe has had an effect here because the barrier between universes is breaking down. That's why those new Heartless are here."

"How do you know all this?" Donald demanded.

"The King told me." Riku took a deep breath. "A lot's happened since we were in Kingdom Hearts. It's hard to explain and I'm sorry I can't go into it. We need to find Sora." He looked to Merlin. "I can help you open the gate between this universe and the one In-Between. Sora has to be there. It's the only explanation for what's been happening here. Someone in that universe is trying to take over."

"But how do we get back?" Kairi asked.

"Easy," Riku replied. "Once Sora settles whatever issue took him out of this universe and into the other everything will sort itself out and return people to where they belong. That universe will cease to exist and separate into light and dark."

"Who's gonna go?" Yuffie asked.

The doors to the library slammed open and a panicked guard came running in. "Heartless!" He gasped, trying to speak and catch his breath all in one rush. "The Heartless are attacking! There are hundreds!"

"Hasn't this world been sealed?" Riku asked in disbelief.

"No. The King must've left before he had the chance and Sora never came here," Donald answered.

Goofy, Cloud, Leon and Cid ran after the guard. "We'll get a better idea and come back," Leon said, looking grim as he unsheathed the Gunblade. "The rest of you should decide who's going to the other universe."

It was only a matter of minutes before Cloud returned, his expression even more grave than Leon's had been. "There's an army out there," he said. "We're gonna have a hard time holding them off."

"I'm going to the In-Between Universe," Kairi said, her tone so determined no one argued.

"I'm going with you," Cloud said. "Yuffie, you go help the others. It won't be long before the Heartless storm the castle."

"What kind of Heartless are they?" Donald asked.

"The good old kind," Cloud said with wry grin just as Yuffie ran out the library with Conformer in her hand. "Everything you can think of is out there."

The knowledge didn't sit well with anyone. The Heartless should've been gone, locked away in the depths of Kingdom Hearts. If they had returned someone must have purposefully released them. Either that or another world leader had taken the same path as Ansem and invited his or her own destruction.

"The spell shouldn't be too draining seeing as we're sharing the burden," Merlin said as he passed the book to Aerith so she could memorise the incantations. "And a good cup of tea will bolster our strength as well!"

"How long until we're ready to go?" Kairi asked.

"It'll be a few hours yet," Donald said with an apologetic tone. "We all need to learn the spell before we attempt it."

"All right." Kairi unhooked the hammer. "Cloud and I can go help the others and when you're ready you can come and get us. We'll hold the Heartless off. They won't make it in here."

"Since when did you fight?" Riku's eyes went wide at the sight of Kairi's weapon. "And I would've expected a sword or…even a skipping rope."

She swatted him. "Don't worry, I know how to use it."

"Don't go too far from the castle grounds," Aerith advised. "We'll need to cast the spell quickly so finding you as soon as possible will be very important."

Kairi looked at Riku, her expression gentle but serious. "When I come back with Sora you promise you'll tell us everything?"

"No more secrets Kairi, I promise."

She hugged him one last time. "This time I'll bring Sora home."

Riku nodded. "I believe in you."

With that Cloud and Kairi ran off to battle the Heartless, leaving Merlin in charge of Donald, Aerith and Riku. The process of learning powerful spells normally took months if not years but they would be doing it in a matter of hours. Merlin, Donald and Aerith all seemed quite confident but Riku was hiding his nerves as best he could. Dealing with dark magic had left him scarred and forever changed. It was a part of his life he'd spent a long time working to put behind him. Riku just kept telling himself this time he was using darker magic for all the right reasons. He owed Sora that at least. But there was more to it than that. Riku owed himself.


	52. Chapter 52

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Fifty-Two

He'd eaten, he'd had a drink, Zidane had freed him with an axe (although he still had a thick metal binder around his ankle) and now here he was in a nicer cell lying on a bed while everyone else was outside planning the future, his future, under the false assumption he was asleep. Sora couldn't sleep. When he shut his eyes he saw nightmares that weren't the sole creation of his imagination. But he was so, so tired. He could feel it weighing down on him with every single breath he took. He refused to succumb, not when the others were outside deciding they would move out to Traverse Town as soon as his 'condition' allowed for it. Sora hated that word. It was the only emotion other than terror his heart seemed to feel. Anger wasn't common to him. It was new. But it wasn't entirely bad. It seemed to be bringing about another feeling as well. Hope. He had hope. Hope that he'd soon be able to fight off the lethargy, smash that door down and tell all of them very clearly he didn't have a condition and he didn't need any of them deciding what to do with him.

Right now though he couldn't get up and he spoke as little as possible. But it was there, simmering deep within him, everything he needed to get up and go. He was tired though, so very tired.

He closed his eyes.

Numerous footsteps faded away.

 _Faded away. Day faded into night. Everybody had gone. He was alone. He'd been alone for a while now. Everything was heavy with sadness. This place, his home, it was meant to be safe and welcoming. But here it was cold, dark and full of shadows._

 _Three figures up ahead. Who were they?_

 _"Yes, who were we?"_

 _The snow began to fall. It drifted calmly from the sky. He watched it fall._

 _"It'll all end soon."_

Sora jerked awake, his whole body cold. He huddled down in his blankets. He reached into a pocket and pulled Oathkeeper out, holding it tightly. Oblivion lay like an angry wound against his leg. Someone had put it in his pocket. Maybe he'd done it. He couldn't remember. Sora ignored the darker Keychain, focusing solely on Oathkeeper and the light it promised to bind him to.

 _No one hates you._

 _"You know I could never hate you! And your mom doesn't either. She loves you and I know she forgives you Sora. I think she's worried about you. You've changed lately. You're quiet and you never normally are. Remember that time the teacher sent you out the class because you wouldn't stop talking? I thought it was funny."_

 _"What should I do? I already said sorry."_

 _"You should make it up to her. Um… maybe you could make her something…"_

 _"I don't think I'm good enough at anything."_

 _"Okay. Oh, I know. What about flowers? I know my mother loves it when father buys them for her. Maybe that'll be a good start."_

 _"Yeah, I guess."_

 _"And I think you could make her something. You're not that bad. You're just kinda messy."_

 _"Maybe…maybe I can make her a card too? I'll make a really colourful one so she'll be happier too. Dad would want her to be happy."_

 _"I think that's a really great idea."_

 _"Thanks Kairi."_

 _"Any time. Besides, it's just like you always tell me…"_

The dream drifted away, only to be replaced by something different.

Kairi and Cloud stood in front of the castle's gates, fighting off the Heartless that got passed Goofy, Leon, Yuffie and Cid. Kairi's hammer threw one of the Soldier-type Heartless off into the distance while Cloud's massive sword cleaved in two anything that came near him.

"It's like every Heartless ever is attacking us!" Kairi yelled as she bent her knees and swung her hammer at a Large Body, only to have her attack rebound off it's huge belly. She ran around it and swung the hammer up, knocking the massive creature off balance. "Where are they all coming from?"

"I don't know," Cloud called as he came to back her up. "This shouldn't be happening."

Smaller Heartless, Shadows and Soldiers, suddenly appeared in a circle around Kairi, cutting her off from Cloud. The Large Body was still momentarily stunned. Kairi turned her attention to the smaller fry, taking them out as they moved at her and trying not to worry too much about what lay behind her. There was one comfort though. She knew she was becoming a stronger fighter – the Heartless had started falling quicker under her blows. Nevertheless, she still had that Large Body to worry about. It was getting up and it didn't look happy.

"Kairi move!"

Kairi threw herself to the left just as Cloud's Blade Beam ability ripped through the largest of the Heartless before branching off and taking down its small guardians.

"Thanks Cloud."

"You're welcome. Keep it up."

With a determined nod Kairi raised her hammer above her head and swung it in rapid circles, taking down all the magical Heartless that floated in the air. Looked like all that cheerleading practice with batons at school had been worth something after all.

Kairi and Cloud looked up to see Goofy running towards them, taking out Heartless as they tried to attack him from both sides. He made it to the pair and despite several nasty looking gashes Goofy was still managing a grin. "I spotted ya both comin' outta the castle and I figured y'might need a hand."

"How're the others?" Kairi asked, spinning around to stop an attack from a Shadow.

"They're okay," Goofy assured her confidently. "The Heartless won't beat us." And then he was gone, moving off to back up Cloud who was attacking a Defender.

Kairi's hands tightened around her hammer, a group of Wizards floating towards her. Goofy was right. The Heartless wouldn't beat them. There was too much to do. She dodged a Flare spell and rolled towards the Wizard who tried to attack her. She had way too much to get done. The Heartless wouldn't win.

Sora awoke with a deep sense of calm. Images flashed through his mind even as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Kairi fighting? And more than that, Kairi fighting alongside Cloud and Goofy? It really did seem like a dream. He hadn't been able to hear anything. It was like his ears were stuck in a wind tunnel. Whatever Kairi, Goofy and Cloud had been saying had been inaudible to Sora. Had he dreamt it? It did seem a little too surreal to be real. He was still a little worried. But as he opened his right hand and found Oathkeeper still there Sora's anxiety faded a little. No matter where Kairi was or what she was doing he believed she'd be okay. He believed in her and right now he probably believed more in her more than he believed in himself.

The window above him was letting in the meek light of dawn. He knew he wouldn't sleep more. He pushed himself up, the blanket slipping off his shoulders. Slowly, ever so slowly, he reached down and clasped the Oblivion Keychain. A tremor shot through him. His heart pounded. He swallowed hard. He grit his teeth. It was no good. He couldn't pull it out. He didn't want to look at it. Oathkeeper was a welcome presence and the Keyblade took shape with ease. Sora idly aimed it at the door. The lock sprung open. He stood up, swaying with indecision. He took a step forward, letting Oathkeeper fade away. Outside. Fresh air. Quiet. Solitude.

A Keyhole.

His knees locked.

 _You'll have to face it some day. Why not today?_

He took a step forward, and another and before he could hesitate once again he was out the room. He walked away from the cell, his bare feet barely whispering over the ground. No one came to stop him. His heart occasionally trembled with nerves. He didn't stop. He wanted to though. He wanted to go back to his room. Yet he kept going. He knew that it was the only option. Besides, fresh air would be very welcome. His head felt sluggish and his whole body was still taut with nerves and lingering horror. He needed to get out. Even if they dragged him back in and locked him up again, Sora had to get out.

The air outside was cool but it was a balm to Sora's clammy skin. He took many deep breaths, relishing the open air with a gratitude he rarely had to exhibit. Nevertheless a smile was still absent from his face. Such an expression seemed alien to him right now.

There was absolutely no one around. He felt safe. He didn't want anyone to sit and look at him. He spied the ruined stadium glimmering in the rising light and headed for it. Sora climbed to the top and sat down, gazing out over what had once been the Coliseum. He didn't even pretend to himself he knew what was going on any better now than he had the first time he'd visited the ruined version of this world. It struck him as weird that so much was going on in his life and yet he had practically no control over it. Yes, it certainly struck him as weird but not shocking. After all he'd known for a long time that the Keyblade somehow took decisions into its own…well what? It didn't have hands. Better put, it controlled him rather than the other way around. It concerned him a little more now than it had before.

 _Why? Because before it didn't lead you into a situation like Atlantica?_

There was nothing to be done about it. He sighed a little.

 _Can you keep going?_

"I don't have a choice." His legs swung a little, the iron manacle digging into his skin as he did so. "I have to keep going."

 _Yes, I did think you'd have an answer such as that._

Sora closed his eyes against the bright sunlight. "I can't stop, can I?"

 _No. You will come to me. We will meet again._

"I miss having a choice."

 _So do I. But we will both do what we must._

Sora almost laughed at the reluctant tone he heard in his head. "Why am I talking to you about this?" It was crazy.

 _Maybe it's because you and I are more alike than you care to admit._

"I'll never be like you."

 _You already are. And don't pretend your heart doesn't feel relief to know you aren't the only one to feel so hesitant. It's all right. Don't deny it. Your feelings are the only freedom you truly have. Everything else in your life these days is dictated by your destiny._

"If following my destiny makes me less like you I'll go along with it."

 _You're not following. You're being dragged._

Another time Sora would've fiercely fought such a point. But he no longer had the energy. "I don't have a choice."

They both fell silent. Sora sat watching the sun's rise into the deep blue sky. It was going to be another beautiful day. Behind him he could hear the base stirring into life. Doors were slamming, footsteps were marching and lungs were coughing out the nighttime dust. Sora didn't bother moving. It didn't matter. He'd had enough of being cooped up inside. Besides, he knew he'd be leaving soon. After all, it wasn't only his destiny that decided the next steps in his journey.

Eventually he realised someone was approaching him and he turned to see who it was. Yuna stood at the bottom of the stadium, looking up at him a little nervously. "Um…I was wondering…I…um…"

"You can come up," Sora told her. "It's okay."

Yuna climbed up the stairs and seated herself next to Sora. She looked at him a little nervously. He wasn't smiling and appeared to be uncharacteristically serious. She wasn't entirely sure what to do and Sora seemed content to remain silent. When she heard metal hitting stone she looked down and spotted the heavy metal cuff around Sora's ankle.

"Oh!" she cried, perhaps a little too loudly. "Let me get rid of that for you!"

"Huh?"

"You know, your leg?"

"Oh."

Without looking at her Sora obediently lifted his leg and shifted it so his foot rested just in front of Yuna. "This won't hurt a bit," the little girl said as much to break the silence as to reassure her friend. She placed her hands on the cool metal. "Dispel!" Once it was gone Yuna saw that the metal had cut Sora's skin. She grabbed his foot before he could pull it away, finally earning herself an inquisitive glance. "I'll just heal it. I bet it's sore. Cure."

"Thanks Yuna," Sora said.

"That's okay. Um, so do you wanna go get breakfast with me? Tifa said we'll be leaving soon. I'm coming 'cause I'll have to use Holy when we get to the shield around Destiny Islands and Disney Castle. I promise I won't be any trouble this time."

"You weren't trouble before."

"But you did have to chase me around 'cause I got too hyper. Zidane told me in the future I won't be allowed to have so many Elixirs 'cause they make me kinda loopy."

"It didn't bother me."

"Oh. Well I'm glad."

Sora stood and brushed the sandy rock off his white vest and black cargo-style knee-length shorts. His feet were bare but chances were shoes wouldn't be hard to come by. Yuna followed him down the stadium steps quietly, humming to herself. She definitely didn't feel comfortable with this new, quiet Sora and no matter how much she said or tried to engage him he refused to say more than single sentences. She held his hand but he didn't hold it back like he usually did. She didn't know what to do.

They met Zidane coming out of the base. He seemed happy to see Sora outside.

"I'd ask how you got out the cell seeing as I never taught you to pick locks but then I remembered you've got an even better tool at your disposal."

"When are we leaving?"

"Uh…you know about that?"

"I wasn't asleep."

"Oh."

"I'll stay on the ship while you clear the Heartless and locate the Keyhole, just like you planned."

"You heard that too huh?"

Sora gave Zidane a plain look. "When are we leaving?"

"Now actually. Barret, Tifa and Red are already on the ship. Galuf and Terra are staying here."

"Let's go."

"Wouldn't you rather get some shoes first?" Zidane commented.

"Oh, yeah."

"Stay here, I'll find you some." Zidane stared at Sora's feet for a moment longer. "Okay, I think I got the size."

Yuna giggled as Zidane disappeared. "You've got really big feet Sora." She reached out her foot and stuck it next to his. "See? You make me look tiny."

"Mom always said I had big feet. I think my dad was the same because…" Sora seemed to realise he'd strung two coherent sentences together and fell silent.

Yuna smiled up at him and clung onto his hand, swinging his arm back and forth. "I don't want feet as big as yours. I'd look weird."

"Yeah you probably would."

It wasn't long before Zidane returned with a pair of old ankle-high black trainers with dirty white laces. Sora put them on and tied them up. They were a little big but he'd always preferred it that way. He followed Zidane to the ship, ignoring the looks people were definitely throwing his way. He hated it. Why did they have to stare? He wasn't a monster. His heart sank with each new set of eyes locking onto him. It had all been one huge accident, one terrible mistake. Thankfully the ship was close by and once onboard the hatch sealed the unwelcome stares outside. The trio went straight to the bridge.

"Ready to go?" Tifa asked pleasantly.

"Yup," Zidane replied. "Let's get to Traverse Town."

Red nudged Sora's leg. "You know the plan?"

"Yeah."

"Sorry about everything. Paranoia is a strange thing and not usually an emotion I'm given to."

"Hm."

"Sora…"

"We all make mistakes." Sora ambled off the bridge. "I'll be in the kitchen. I guess you'll leave a PHS behind. Call me when you need me."

Sora found all the piles of clothes Yuna had gathered to make her new Valefor still littered over the kitchen worktops. He managed to salvage a dark red hoodie from the pile. He poked around the kitchen and found some fresh fruit in the fridge along with a bottle of chilled water. Breakfast for one was served he thought as he chewed.

The ship, thanks to the warp drive, made it to Traverse Town in a matter of moments. Zidane poked his head in the kitchen to announce he and the others were leaving. "Keep an eye on Yuna," he advised, pushing the little girl into the room. "And you make sure Sora doesn't eat everything."

Yuna skipped into the room and pulled herself onto the table. "I brought my Valefor." She held up something made of cloth that looked nothing like Valefor. At least she seemed cheerful about it. "Wanna help me? You did say you would. Oh and before I forget 'cause I might you know." She reached into a pocket in her purple pleated skirt and pulled out a PHS. "There you go!"

"Thanks."

"You can cut up some clothes while I carry on sewing Valefor."

"Okay."

The two worked silently. Sora couldn't find any scissors so he tore the clothes with his hands.

"Make sure you keep the little bits really small 'cause I gotta stuff lots in."

"I will."

"Sora?"

"Yeah?"

"Aren't you ever gonna be happy again?"

Sora's hands became still. Would he? He was essentially still the same person. He'd just done something very stupid. Actually stupid probably wasn't a strong enough word. He'd destroyed a world, the one thing he was meant to prevent above all others. It still made him feel sick. So would he ever be happy again?

"I suppose one day everything will feel better. Right now…" He fell silent.

Yuna's small hand rested over his. "You can tell me. I don't understand things so I can't make you feel bad by saying the wrong thing."

Sora never had been able to keep everything bottled up inside him. That had always been one of Riku's skills. Sora always seemed to speak even when he wanted to stay quiet. "Right now I feel like I want to curl up in a corner and never come out. Every time I close my eyes I see what I did. I've tried telling myself there was no other option but it's not working. I either had to die or destroy a whole world. I made a terrible mistake and nothing I do will make up for it."

"I still think you're a good person. You didn't do it on purpose." Yuna grabbed his hand, tugging on his arm. "I didn't want you to die either. I… I don't care that you did what you did if it meant you're still here."

Sora carefully pulled his hand back. "I'm gonna go up to the main deck. See you later."

Talking out loud about everything didn't really make him feel better. Now he was worried about upsetting the people who cared about him. It was bad enough he'd scared them all so much they'd locked him in a cell. Now that Yuna knew his inner thoughts he was a little worried that they'd all find out and doubt him even more. He sighed and rubbed his hands over his face tiredly. It was just another nagging concern he didn't really need. He stepped onto the bridge, Traverse Town looming beyond the huge porthole. Sora looked at it with a vague sense of unease. It seemed like a lifetime had passed since he'd found himself on that strange version of the world, surrounded by Heartless scarier than any ghost story Riku had told him. He shivered with the memory of the piercing chill that had ripped through his body for days afterwards. He still felt the same old sadness at seeing Traverse Town so derelict when it had usually been so welcoming despite the endless night and, of course, the Heartless that had lurked in the Second and Third Districts. Despite the Heartless the town had always been so full of light and always seemed like a safe haven (as long as one stuck to the First District and Merlin's house). Sora stared at the world without really seeing it. His heart was aching with the memory of what he had done. His memory would replay the event and he would silently plead with it every time to be a nightmare or a mistake he could easily correct. But the memory, the horror, the disbelief, the anguish… none of it ever went away. Now he could face up to it and function in the real world but he knew that even when the time came for him to smile again, the destruction of Atlantica would forever cast a shadow over him. He tried once again to pull the Oblivion Keychain out of his pocket but he couldn't do it. He didn't know if he'd ever be able to face using that Keyblade again.

 _But you'll have to, you know. If you don't use both you'll be weak._

"I'll be fine without it."

 _Ah, I am so glad to see you still cling to that naïve optimism of yours. You're definitely going to need it._

There was something in the tone that made Sora sit up straighter. "What are you going to do?"

 _No, no. It isn't me._

The PHS in Sora's pocket began to ring. He answered in apprehensively. "Yeah?"

"Hello Sora."

A cold chill shot down his spine. "Reina."

"I've got your friends."

"They were yours once."

"Yes. They were. Once. Anyway, I'll let you guess where I'm taking them."

"You're taking them to Destiny Islands."

"I said I'd see you when you go home. Now you have another reason to get there very, very quickly. I'll probably kill Zidane first. I never liked men who don't know how to keep their hands to themselves. Oh, and don't forget to seal the world. Master wants you to."

 _Indeed I do._

"And if you don't come I will start killing." She paused briefly. "There. I've let a few of the Heartless see to Zidane. You may want to hurry."

Sora was helpless and he knew it.

 _The Keyhole is where it's always been. No need to move that one. And don't worry, the Heartless won't trouble you._

"See you soon."

The line went dead. Sora held the phone for a moment longer before lobbing it against a wall. It shattered on the ground. Angrily Sora seized the ship's controls and took the ship down to the world. If they were going to manipulate him the least he could do was find a way to make them regret it. He couldn't let them win. Yuna came running in when she realised they were descending.

"The others have been captured." He really didn't have time to waste. "I've gotta seal the Keyhole and then we have to get past that shield. Yuna, do you think you can do it?"

She gave a worried nod. "Are we in trouble?"

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I wish you didn't have to do all this." The ship landed and Sora powered down the engines. He turned to Yuna. "Stay here. I won't be long. You've still got Ultima right?"

"Yeah…"

"If anyone tries to hurt you use it on them. Especially if Reina comes."

"So it's true? She really is…"

"Bad. Very bad." Sora crouched down and held Yuna's shoulders. "Don't let her hurt you."

"I won't."

Without really meaning to, Sora suddenly found himself hugging the little girl tightly. "Don't worry. Soon this will all be over."

"I know. I trust you."

He actually managed a small smile. "Thanks."

The two parted ways and Sora ran off the ship and into the abandoned Traverse Town. The town was as grey and lifeless as ever, the occasional breeze sending rubbish one way and then another. He headed up the stairs to the Second District's doors. His unease mounted the closer he got, the memories from his last visit to this place still unnerving.

"Sora!"

"Zidane?"

"Hurry!"

Sora ran through to the Second District and found himself encircled by the Heartless of Traverse Town. They had packed themselves into the Second District, taking up practically all the available space. Their features blurred into one another. Sometimes it was as though he stood in a mist or fog rather than being surrounded by humanoid Heartless. Just as he had been promised not a single one attacked. But where were Zidane and the others?

 _Look up there._

Sora's eyes looked up to the top of the Gizmo Shop. He saw Zidane being held by a Heartless. Sora walked forward but the wall of Heartless stopped him.

"You can't have this one until you seal the Keyhole." Reina appeared from within the crowd. She gave him a sly look. "I know I said I was going to kill him first but perhaps I'll let you have him back. As for the others, you know where to find them. Now," her hand landed on his shoulder, the chill threatening to numb Sora's muscles. "Seal this world."

Sora pushed her off and walked forward. The Heartless parted, allowing him to jump down to the Second District's lower level where the Keyhole waited. He could still feel their coldness seeping into the air as he walked past but it was far less intense than it had been when he ran through them. He looked up again and saw Zidane still being held by the Heartless no matter how much he struggled.

"If you don't hurry he'll die. We know we can't take his heart but we can still freeze him."

Sora turned to the waterfall and saw the Keyhole waiting. The Heartless stood all around him, threatening to swoop in a crush him. Yet still not a single one moved. He could feel their eyes on him, feel their fear battling against their hunger for his heart. Oathkeeper appeared. Sora held it out. Light shot out and delved into the Keyhole. Sora felt the town changing around him, felt warmth seeping back into the air. The Keyblade drew the extra energy it needed from Sora, the Keyhole closing very slowly. The time it took Sora sank into some kind of daze. Time seemed suspended. He didn't notice anything around him until the Keyhole was sealed and it had faded away.

When he realised his work was done Sora looked around. The Heartless were all gone and the sky was dark and pocked with stars. The buildings were still lifeless and no lights glowed, meaning the only light Sora had was from the distant stars.

 _You might want to stop daydreaming and start helping your friend._

Sora turned back to the Gizmo Shop just in time to see Zidane fall. Oathkeeper spun around and Sora cast a hurried, powered up Aeroga to catch Zidane and change his plummet into a slower drift to the ground. Sora hurried to his side, helping a very dazed Zidane up.

"What did she do to the others?" Sora demanded as he began dragging Zidane back to the ship.

"Others? Uh…the others. Er…what did she do…what did she do? I dunno. I don't remember. Sora what happened to her? That couldn't have been Reina… there's no way she'd…"

"She's a Heartless," Sora said as Zidane managed to get his feet back under him. "She's just like all the others."

"Isn't there anything we can do?"

Sora helped Zidane climb the stairs to the First District door. "I have to stop the others from becoming just like her."

They made it back to the ship and Sora let Yuna take care of Zidane while he got the ship into space. He headed for the barrier around Destiny Islands and Disney Castle. It was clear to see. Silver and purple veins of light formed a web in the depths of space outside the ship, concealing all that lay beyond. Sora brought the ship to a stop, allowing it to drift while he looked at his next challenge.

 _One step closer. Pass through it and you'll be closer to the end._

The end. Really?

 _Oh yes._

Promising or ominous, Sora's only choice was home.


	53. Chapter 53

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Fifty-Three

"Kairi!" It was Riku. She slammed her weapon down on a Heartless and made sure it was dead before she looked over to him. She saw him waving for her to go to him. "Come on, you've got to go!" He yelled. "Get back to the library!"

"Cloud!" Kairi called out. "It's time!"

Cloud and Goofy were separated from her by a group of relentless Heartless. The Large Bodies were proving troublesome. With so many in such a small space it was hard reaching their vulnerable spots. Goofy leapt into the air, spinning around and knocking them back far enough for Cloud to manoeuvre his massive sword. Landing in front, Goofy looked over to Kairi. He realised the girl was totally relaxed. He saw a single Heartless, one she hadn't noticed. Riku noticed it too but he was too far away. Nevertheless the boy was running forward, Soul Eater lashing out at anything that tried to stop him. Cloud was still dealing with the Large Bodies. Goofy was closest. He was the only one.

"Kairi!"

The girl looked, her eyes widening with shock. The Heartless looked like a sword-wielding demon. It was moving so fast. Kairi began swinging her hammer around to protect herself but it was too late. She'd never be able to save herself.

With speed and agility Goofy revealed only in the most desperate of moments, the Knight shot forward. Throwing his shield away (that somehow managed to hit the Invisible aiming to impale Kairi), Goofy shoved the girl to the ground. He gave a sudden cry of pain, the horrific sound of metal cutting through flesh the only thing to be heard.

Silence.

"Goofy!"

Kairi could feel his blood seeping into her clothes. Tears stood out in her eyes. The Heartless pulled its weapon free of his body and stood ready to continue the fight.

"Kairi hold on!" Cloud yelled before clearing all the Heartless around him with his Meteorain Limit Break.

The girl stood up, hammer clenched in her trembling hand.

Riku somersaulted over the heads of two wizards, closing in on his friend with each passing second.

Kairi's battle cry was a harsh scream torn from her lungs as she swung the hammer with all her might. It smashed into the Invisible, knocking it sideways. She didn't stop. Her barrage of blows may have been far from elegant and stylish but they got the job done more effectively. The Heartless never stood a chance. Kairi didn't let up until it was dead. The angry buzzing in her head didn't fade away and when she felt someone approaching she cried out and spun around, hammer ready to attack.

Cloud caught it with his hands, easily pulling it out of Kairi's grip. "We have to move. Riku's got Goofy. He's taking him inside. Come on, we haven't got much time."

Shocked and unresisting, Kairi allowed herself to be dragged back inside. She couldn't process anything other than the hideous, sickening knowledge that the heat pressing against her skin was…was…

"Your friend will be fine," Cloud said, pushing open the library doors. "The castle's medics will see to him."

"I didn't… I can't… I…"

Riku suddenly came into view. Cloud gave him a nod and left the pair alone. "Kairi?" Riku said. "It's gonna be okay. You were amazing out there. I never thought I'd see you fight like that."

"Goofy…" Kairi cried out and hid her face behind her hands. The tears began to gush down her face. "I didn't mean for him to get hurt!"

"It's not your fault. It was just one of those accidents."

"No it wasn't! I should've been looking! I should've seen that Heartless! I didn't…"

"Hey!" Riku shook the girl firmly, making her look him in the eye. "Don't start any of that rubbish. What happened was an accident. You can't control what happens to everyone and you can't control the decisions they make. Goofy got hurt but it wasn't your fault because you're not the one who injured him. Kairi!" He pulled her wandering attention back, his stern eyes holding hers. "Come on, you're stronger than that."

For a moment Kairi refused to look up. She battled against her tears, blinking hard to hold them back. She swallowed all the sobs back down.

"That's it," Riku gave her a smile as he led her towards the others who were preparing to send her to another universe. "Don't give in. Don't let it stop you. Goofy wouldn't want that."

"Y-yeah. You're right."

"So, you ready to go bring the troublemaker back?"

Kairi managed a tiny smile. "Yeah, I'll find him." She brushed the last tears away. "And Goofy will be fine."

"Exactly."

Looking up, Kairi saw that Merlin was making Cloud stand on a strange iron-grey symbol painted onto the library floor. It was a large circle with many odd letters Kairi couldn't read scrawled within it. Four smaller circles, painted in white, rested on the main circle, denoting where people had to stand. Aerith and Donald both had their staffs in hand, ready to start the spell. Once Kairi was in place alongside Cloud atop two letters also painted in white Riku stepped onto the circle that denoted his position.

Merlin stepped up to the head of the symbol. "Ready?" The others all nodded. "All right everyone. Begin!"

The instant they had all chanted the first unrecognisable word a barrier of grey light shot out of the symbol and sealed Kairi and Cloud within its boundaries. Kairi stuck close to Cloud, his presence strong and comforting. He returned her weapon and she held it ready. There was no telling what would be on the other side.

"We're gonna be fine," she whispered. "This will work out fine."

Suddenly Kairi felt herself falling. The library was gone, replaced with empty, endless light. She tried to find Cloud but Kairi seemed to be completely alone. Down, down, down she fell.

There was nothing to do but wait and see.

Back in the castle the magic-casters all felt their part come to an end. Calling a stop to their magic everyone let out a collective sigh.

"That went better than expected," Merlin said, walking towards a pre-prepared kettle a little shakily. "Anybody want a cup?"

"Yes, please," Aerith said.

Donald hurried out the library. He had to make sure Goofy was all right.

Riku tugged an Elixir out his pocket and drank it quickly. The trembling left behind from the magical exertion soon faded away and he felt fine again. "I'm going to help the others with the Heartless."

"Be careful," Aerith said. "Send someone back to me if you need any healing spells."

Riku gave her a nod and after pulling the Soul Eater out from under his coat he left the library behind and ran out to face the Heartless once again.

Sora looked at Yuna. The little girl clutched the Ribbon tightly in her hands, her expression one of deep concentration. Zidane was seated in the pilot's chair, a thick blanket over his shoulders and a steaming mug of coffee in his hands to ward off the effect of the Heartless.

"I think I can do it," the girl said suddenly. "I used Scan and this barrier thingy is really, really big but I think I can open a hole in it big enough for us to get the ship through. I can do it from here."

"That's great Yuna," Zidane congratulated her. "All we have to do is mosey on through and get to Destiny Islands. Once there, me and Sora will…"

"I'm going alone."

"You sure?" Zidane said.

Sora had been expecting some kind of argument. Zidane's simple acceptance was definitely a welcome surprise. "Yeah, I'm sure."

Zidane gave an understanding nod. "You gotta do what you gotta do. We can back you up if you need it."

"Thanks but I'll be fine."

"Nice to see you haven't lost your self-confidence," Zidane grinned.

Yuna looked between the pair in disbelief, her eyes finally settling on Zidane. "We can't let Sora go alone! He's our friend! He'll need us."

"Sometimes you have to go alone," Zidane explained. "There's a time in everyone's life when you have to leave everything behind and move on by yourself."

Yuna's mouth quivered. Tears glittered in her eyes. Clearly she had thought about all worst-case scenarios and neglected optimist. "But…but that…that's…" she curled her hands into fists and loudly declared, "That's stupid boy logic!"

"You'll understand one day." Zidane patted the little girl's head before turning to Sora, his expression dead serious. "Don't you go getting any funny ideas about dying to save everyone or something stupidly heroic like that."

"Huh?"

Zidane stepped up to Sora. "Over the past few months you've become like a little brother to me, which is nice 'cause I've spent most my life being the youngest. So as your elder I'm advising that you come back alive."

"I was gonna do that…"

"We both know the one who wants to see you most of all. Make sure you make it back for her."

Kairi. A blush ignited Sora's cheeks, his heart full of so many feelings. "I-I know. I wasn't…"

Before Sora could finish the sentence Zidane was pulling him into a (manly) hug. "I'm proud to know you. We all are. Don't forget that."

Sora's shock subsided and he returned the (manly) embrace. "I'll never forget." He reached out and pulled Yuna close. "Everything will be okay."

"You promise?" Yuna asked, her voice muffled as she clung to the pair's legs.

"Yeah, I promise."

Sora stepped back and finally gave a real albeit small smile. "Let's go. The others need us. I can't do this totally alone."

Zidane drained the rest of his coffee and headed to the helm. "When you're ready to move tell me."

Yuna stepped up to the glass screen that separated ship from space. She held the Ribbon to her chest, closed her eyes and concentrated hard. It took a minute but the power Yuna had been building up suddenly exploded out of her hands and Holy tore through the barrier in front of the ship. Zidane took his cue from Sora and eased the ship forward.

"Hang in there Yuna, we're almost through."

She didn't reply but the strain appeared on her face. She bit her lip and the spell wavered. She managed to hang on, extending Holy's reach and holding the barrier back. Zidane threw caution to the wind and increased the speed. The ship groaned as it brushed against the magical shield but nothing exploded and all the warning sirens remained blissfully silent. Just like that they were through.

Yuna broke off the spell with a gasp, dizzily stumbling backwards. Sora caught her and kept her steady as Zidane took the ship to Destiny Islands. Sora's eyes couldn't be torn off his world as it grew closer. It looked so peaceful from space, just the way he remembered it. But he knew that on the surface everything would be different. Remembering his dreams made his stomach twist.

"Ready?" Zidane asked, taking the ship into the atmosphere.

 _Don't tell him the truth._

"Yeah, I'm ready."

"Okay then."

Destiny Islands was exactly as Sora had dreamt it. He swallowed hard, trying to still the tremble that snaked through his body. Zidane hovered over the frozen sea. The scrap of land Sora and his friends had always spent their free time on was just up ahead. And yet Sora wasn't as sad as he thought he'd be. This place wasn't exactly his home. It was as though someone else had seen his dream and then made it real. It felt surreal rather than upsetting.

Sora didn't allow himself to just stand there and muse any longer. If he did his fear would probably get the better of him and he couldn't let that happen. Passing Yuna into Zidane's arms, Sora walked off the bridge and soon he'd left the ship altogether, walking away before the little part of him that wasn't numb to the insanity of his recent life convinced him to get far away from this frozen version of Destiny Islands. Sora strode over the uneven ice, his gaze always looking ahead. Closer and closer he drew to the beach. What would he find there?

Sora called out quietly, for the one who needed to hear him was nowhere to be seen but right with him. "Where's Reina?"

 _Around. Deal with them first._

"Them?"

It was like old times. Shadows began pulling themselves out the ice, those jerky little Heartless that Sora had tried to fight off the night his home had been destroyed. It was so strange to see them after fighting the newer Heartless for so long. Why did it feel like a relief to know that the Heartless were still normal? Sora could've laughed at himself. What a stupid thing to think!

They attacked, some clawing at him while others ducked into the ice and slid beneath him. It had been a long time but he remembered how to fight them well enough. There was no way he could ever forget. He couldn't count their numbers. He just fought them, taking them down whether they leapt at him or tried to tear him to shreds from below with their wickedly sharp nails. Sora moved forwards and twisted around, the Keyblade knocking into any Heartless that tried to attack him. They went flying off into the distance and never touched the ground, fading away in midair. The Shadows kept coming; their numbers were seemingly endless. Sora slipped into his familiar combos with ease, Oathkeeper coming from the sides, above, below, twisting in loops and jousting straight out. It was all so familiar. Sora almost expected to hear Donald and Goofy fighting behind him but of course they weren't there. He hadn't managed to find them yet. Months had gone by and he hadn't found them.

 _A little useless of you really. Maybe you've just forgot about them._

"I would never do that!"

 _Of course not._

That sardonic voice brought Sora back to the moment and he realised he only had five Shadows left, the others all dead and gone. A sudden scrape across the backs of his legs taught Sora to never lose his focus even when the battle seemed to be drawing to a close and he quickly dispatched of the Heartless that had dug its claws into his calves. The other four launched an all out assault, attacking from the four compass points. A foolish idea. Sora crouched down and spun the Keyblade over his head. The Heartless fell in quick succession, leaving him alone on the ice with only his breath hanging like grey clouds in the air.

Sora dismissed Oathkeeper, stood up and started walking. It wasn't long before his feet left the ice and sank into snow. Dream and reality were slipping over one another.

Icicles hung off the palm trees. The waterfall was like a beautiful carving that had seized a moment of time and never let it go. Snow covered the bright colours. Everything was white and grey.

White, grey and utterly silent. Sora looked over his shoulder. The ship was gone. Clouds had obscured everything, creeping after him as he walked up the beach. It was strange. He didn't feel cold at all.

He heard her before he saw her. "So, you came. Good. Welcome home." Reina stood by the Secret Place. "Your home is very nice. Lots of little hidey-holes aren't there? Makes you wonder what else is lurking here." She walked forwards. "The others are all in here. They'll be glad to see you."

Oathkeeper returned to Sora's hand. "I don't care who you were. You're not the same anymore. I won't let you hurt them."

"But I'm not the one you need to fight."

Reina stepped aside. Something was appearing from behind her. Sora didn't have time to have a better look. There was something behind him. But he couldn't look back at the sea either because another something was coming out of the small hut.

"The barrier between the three universes is thin here on Destiny Islands and thinner still at the Castle. These three should be familiar to you in more than one way."

"Three universes? You mean Light, Dark and this one In-between right?"

"Exactly. You're slow but you get there in the end. Now, be good and say hello to your old friends."

The three shadows began to take more definite shapes. Reina was right – they definitely looked like the Heartless Sora was more familiar with. His grip on the Keyblade tightened as another reality clicked into place. There was no way to prepare for shocks – you just had to find a way to focus straight afterwards.

"Well, well, looks like it's not gonna be your day Sora."

"Don't cry when we beat you!"

"You never did get enough training ya?"

Tidus. Selphie. Wakka.

No, it was not them. He faced three Heartless.

They looked almost the same as before except that their bodies were made of darkness. Their eyes, all bright yellow, held wild looks. Their strange faces were slyly smug (well smugger than usual for Tidus), as if they all knew that they had the upper hand in this fight before they'd started. No surprise, no not at all. They'd all been on Destiny Islands when it had been destroyed. Made sense that they'd be this way… right?

"Light, Dark and the place in between. We're in all of them, in different guises."

Sora wasn't given another moment to think about them. In the formation the three always used they moved to attack as one. Sora fended off Tidus' attack, just as he always did, but Selphie and Wakka both hit him from behind. Pain washed over his back. Their weapons looked the same but they were far deadlier than before. Extensions of their wielders' bodies, each weapon had the ability to take Sora's heart as effectively as a Heartless' hand. He couldn't let that happen. As he pushed Tidus back Sora spun around just in time to send Wakka's blitzball hurtling back at him. But there was Selphie, skipping rope smacking him in the head and sending him skidding over the snow. Sora pushed himself forward as soon as he could, flicking Selphie's rope back at her. She reached up and caught it with ease and sneered at him. Yeah, he knew what she wanted to say. Sora was going to have to do a lot better if he was going to beat them.

 _If you used both your weapons this would be a great deal easier. But of course we know you won't do it. It's your loss though._

Selphie jumped at him again. Sora kicked her back but she wrapped the rope around his leg and spun him through the air. He landed on his side. She was coming again, her skipping rope lashing out behind her before she snapped her wrist and sent it whipping towards him. Sora stopped her just in time by using Strike Raid. She stumbled back under the successive blows but Sora didn't have time to finish her off. At least he'd given himself enough time to stand up before he quickly turned his attack on Tidus. The Keyblade rebounded off Tidus' weapon but Tidus had picked up a new move. He crouched down and kicked out, knocking Sora's legs from under him. Job done Tidus fell back and Wakka was there, his blitzball flying at Sora. Timing it just right Sora's foot connected and he kicked it back, the blitzball smacking into Wakka's head. Sora flipped to his feet. He saw Selphie running at him, her expression wrathful. Sora lifted Oathkeeper, catching Selphie's skipping rope before it hit him. It wrapped around the Keyblade but Sora used it to his advantage, pulling her forward and freeing the weapon in time to slash her across the chest. She stumbled back with a hiss of pain and allowed Wakka and Tidus to take over.

Wakka sprang high into the air, his long-range attack a distraction from Tidus' over-arm assault. Sora couldn't keep them both off. There was only one thing to do. He lunged forward and ducked below Tidus' sweeping blow, catching him on the side and knocking him into the path of Wakka's attack. The blitzball smashed into the back of his head. If it had hit Sora he would've been down for the count. Luckily for Sora Tidus took the blow and fell to the snow with a cry. He wasn't defeated but he stayed down. Sora's next target was Wakka. He had to take the eldest of the trio out. His long-range attacks were powerful, painful and a distraction. It was the same tactic Wakka had used when he'd been normal but back then it had been a game. This time if Sora took one too many hits from the Heartless Wakka he wasn't going to live to laugh about it later. Wakka's blitzball was coming at him again. It was too fast to deflect and it hit Sora in the stomach. He fell to his knees, unable to catch his breath. Wakka caught the ball and aimed another hit. Sora rolled out the way, snow spraying in his face.

"You'll have to do better than that ya!"

Coughing, Sora heaved air into his lungs and stood up. Wakka was about to lob the blitzball yet again. Sora closed the distance between them with Sonic Blade, snow spraying like waves in his wake. Sora hit Wakka before the Heartless could attack. Oathkeeper dug deep into Wakka's stomach. Like the Heartless Sora had fought in the Light Universe, Wakka didn't bleed.

 _Should make them easier to kill, don't you think?_

Sora pulled the Keyblade back. Wakka's hands clutched his belly. The blitzball made a dent in the snow as it fell from his arm. Sora could've moved in for the kill but he had two other opponents who didn't let him have the time to finish Wakka off. Selphie and Tidus were coming back and they were angry. Tidus grabbed Sora and threw him away from Wakka, tipping Sora's arm backwards with his pole. Sora realised too late that it was a strategy. Before he could attack Tidus again Selphie's skipping-rope wrapped around his right arm and yanked it back, almost popping his shoulder out of its socket. The Keyblade went flying away. Driving him to his knees, Selphie kept Sora in place while Tidus attacked, the pole smacking against Sora's head and throwing him into the snow. Sora tried to call the Keyblade back but Tidus was somersaulting over him and his weapon was coming down onto Sora's back, connecting with bruising force. Sora tried to move away but Selphie yanked his arm back. If Sora struggled his arm would be dislocated.

"Got him. You all right Wakka?"

"Nothing the Master can't fix. Tidus?"

A foot was planted on Sora's back, finding the sorest patch and pressing down hard. Tidus sniggered. "Hey you guys, I think we overdid it."

Light shifted to grey. Kairi's gentle drift suddenly became a tumble. She tried to spot Cloud but she still couldn't see him. For a while Kairi remained alone, falling through the strange grey place. But when something did come Kairi barely swallowed the scream trying to break out of her.

 _It's been so long. I missed you._

"No. How can it be you? You're supposed to be…"

 _Hush now. Everything's going exactly as I planned it._

A hand pierced her chest. Manic laughter filled her ears. The coldness of an abyss began to sneak through her veins. With everything she had left Kairi screamed until the shadows took her away.


	54. Chapter 54

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Fifty-Four

Sora struggled to free himself but it was to no avail. Tidus' foot wasn't merely resting on his back – his shadowy body had melded around Sora to keep him on the ground. Falling still, Sora allowed the three to debate above him. He had to come up with an escape. He couldn't lose now.

"He gave us a good run ya," Wakka said. "So, who finishes him off?"

"Let me!" Selphie demanded, stomping her feet on the ground.

"I told him he was no match for Riku a lifetime ago," Tidus commented. "Riku was the only one who could take us all at once."

"Shame he was a traitor," Wakka commented. There was real sadness in his voice. "I looked up to him."

"You had to look up to him," Tidus reminded him. "He was a Fallen. We're not quite the same. We're only like this because of the Master. Without him…"

"…We'd be like the others, I know."

"Would you two shut up?" Selphie hissed. "We've got a kill to make!"

"Oh, yeah. Everyone ready?"

Wakka's blitzball collided with Sora's restrained limb, pain shooting down his arm and across his shoulders. The once-redheaded young man laughed. "Definitely. Let's finish this."

"On three," Selphie directed. "One…"

Sora's knuckles cracked as his free hand curled into a fist. He wasn't losing to these three. He couldn't. But what could he do? He couldn't move. Okay, no worries. He wasn't out of options just yet. He had to make them move.

"…Two…"

There was only one attack to use.

"…Three!"

"Ultima!"

The spell tore into all three. Building on the injuries Sora had already caused, Ultima sent the Heartless crashing into the snow. Free of Selphie's skipping-rope, Sora got to his feet and called Oathkeeper back. He rotated his strained shoulder a few times to reduce the pain to a dull ache. He wasn't too worried about being attacked. Ultima had done a good job. Sora turned and found Wakka gone, only an imprint in the snow of where the Heartless' body had fallen. Tidus and Selphie, however, were clinging onto life. Sora ignored the tiredness seeping through him. Using Ultima was far easier now but it still took a great deal of magical energy. He probably had enough for an emergency Curaga but he'd have to finish the two remaining Heartless without any of his other abilities.

He attacked Selphie first, knocking her back into the snow as she struggled to get up. She tried to fend off his rapid attacks but she couldn't. Selphie fell to her knees. Tidus tried to come between her and Sora but he didn't make it in time and as Selphie's Heartless body dispersed into smoke Sora whirled around and attacked his final opponent. Tidus caught the Keyblade across the chest and it sent him flying off his feet and onto the frozen sea. Sora followed him, making sure that this time Tidus stayed down. The Heartless somehow regained its footing. Sora didn't feel any shame or guilt for killing the other two. They weren't his friends. Heartless were inhuman killers, even if they could talk.

Tidus, his body slowly turning to smoke, glared at Sora with everything he had left in him. "You're different from before. I didn't think you'd really kill us but you did. Guess the Master got what he wanted when you changed."

 _I certainly did. You're a lot more fun this way._

Tidus fell backwards onto the ice. His body was almost completely gone now and yet he still managed that same annoying smirk he always had when he thought he was right. "I don't think you'll be able to kill us all though."

And with that he was gone. Sora turned back to the island, his eyes landing on the opening to the Secret Place. Reina stood there. She called to him as he approached.

"I suppose you want to see your friends?"

"Yeah. Get out of my way."

"No." Reina's hands changed shape, forming into guns as they had on Atlantica. "You'll have to go through me if you want to see them."

Sora held Oathkeeper ready. "That's fine with me."

Sora and Reina moved. Bullets tore through the air, kicking up the snow where Sora had been standing. He dodged and jumped out of Reina's way, trying his best not to stay in one place too long. Any tiredness in his body was soon forgotten thanks to the rush of adrenaline but even that wasn't enough. He still hadn't had the time to swallow an Elixir so he had to fight with his own skills, trusting that he'd find a minute to replenish his energy for his more powerful abilities.

Sora came to a stop in front of Reina. Her hands changed, morphing into wicked blades that were better suited to close range fighting. Oathkeeper caught them both and Sora ducked down. Reina overbalanced and toppled forwards. Or at least, that's what Sora expected her to do. Instead her body seemed to flow like water, taking on a shape that wasn't even vaguely human, before twisting around and resuming its Reina façade. He refused to show his shock, moving instead to attack once again. But every time he slashed out her whole body shifted and dodged out the way. He held back, forcing his ire away as she sneered gloatingly at him. Attacking wasn't going to work and he still hadn't replenished his magical energy so spells were a no-go either.

What was he going to do?

"Sora!"

It was Zidane. He was had his most powerful Ultima weapon with him, the dual-bladed weapon held lightly in his hand. Zidane came to a stop by Sora's side. "Let Yuna and I handle her. Go for the others." Zidane looked at him, somehow managing to look amused and relaxed despite Reina's nearby presence. "You did one thing alone. Now you need us too."

Sora looked over his shoulder. Yuna was there, a small staff in her hands. She seemed nervous and scared but she held it all together behind a brave face.

"Are you sure?" He asked Zidane.

"Positive. Get the others. We'll need them as well."

Sora ducked past Reina and headed for the Secret Place. The pink-haired Heartless turned to Zidane before her eyes slid onto Yuna. "Using a child to fight me?" She gave a thoughtful sound. "I'll have to make you regret that."

Guns for hands once again, Reina fired on Yuna. The little girl stumbled backwards as Zidane jumped and shoved his shoulder into Reina. Yuna hurriedly cast Shields around herself and Zidane. Zidane moved, his bladed weapon spinning over his head before he slashed out at Reina. She tried to shift her body around it but Yuna had already cast another spell, Slowga turning Reina's speed into a crawl. Zidane easily scored a rapid succession blows, twisting and turning his weapon in huge arcs in order to hit her with both blades. The spell wore off but Zidane and Yuna were ready. Yuna hung back, staff raised for whatever spell was needed. Out the corner of her eye she saw strange little shadows pulling themselves out the snow. Zidane spied them too, his face creasing into a frown and his grip tightening on the Ultima Weapon.

Reina teetered on her feet, wiping blood out her eyes. "You can't take us all, not the two of you alone."

Zidane grinned, said nothing, and attacked the Heartless gathering around Yuna. The little girl pinned Reina down with another Slowga, taking the time to swallow an Elixir. Zidane had given her a very large supply, telling her that this time (and this time only) she was allowed to get as hyper as she liked. After all, she was going to need all the energy she could get when she had Ultima waiting in one pocket and the Ribbon with Holy in the other. Reina was coming for her, guns firing and Zidane was too busy to protect her.

Yuna dropped her staff. It stood upright in the snow as her hand grabbed Ultima.

Sora shivered as he walked down the pathway in the Secret Place, his hand squeezing the Keyblade. Outside may have had snow but all the coldness seemed to have been channelled into the cave. And it was so quiet. The Secret Place had never felt so empty. The wind blowing through seemed utterly lifeless. Was anyone beside him even in here? Had Reina told the truth?

Sora came into the main part of the cave. He let out a breath he didn't realise he was holding when he saw Tifa, Barret and Red. The trio were sitting on the ground next to a boulder that should've been covered in doodles and yet it was blank. All the cave's walls were blank. The doodles Sora, Kairi and Riku had spent so many hours concentrating over were all gone. It didn't matter. Silly drawings meant nothing any more.

Sora looked at them. None of them seemed happy to see him. "Get up," he commanded. "We have to go."

Barret stood and held out a hand to Tifa. Red met Sora's gaze but looked away. The boy frowned, unease creeping up on him. "What is it? What's going on?"

"You're here." But Tifa's voice was anything but joyful. "Sora you can't stay. You need to go. You have to leave, right now."

"Well yeah obviously." Sora gave them all a weird look. "We're all gonna leave." He indicated for the others to go ahead of him. "You better get ready though, Reina's fighting Zidane and Yuna."

Tifa and Barret ran out the cave but Red blocked Sora's path. "There's no time for you to fight. You have to get out of here, do you understand?"

"What are you talking about? This isn't the time for mysteries Red!"

"Sora it's all about you."

"Fine, whatever, it's all about me. Get out of my way so I can help fight Reina."

"The Keyhole is in here."

"I'll seal it and…"

"No, this one you have to leave alone. Don't touch it."

"What? Red..." But Red turned and ran after Tifa and Barret (who were quite literally breaking out the cave). Sora yelled after him, "Have you sworn off making sense today?"

"I'll make sense for him."

The shock went through him like an electric charge. His senses pinpointed on that voice and everything around him faded into nothingness. All that remained was Sora and the one who stood behind him. Oathkeeper disappeared. His hands hung limp at his sides.

"Aren't you going to face me? You could at least say something. I came a long way to see you again."

A shot in his stomach couldn't have hurt more.

"It can't be you. Not here."

"It is. I came here just to find you."

"No."

"If you don't believe it, turn around and face me. See for yourself and then try to believe a lie."

His head and heart screamed at him but Sora turned around.

Barret broke the rocks out his way just in time to see Reina level her guns at Yuna's head. The huge man aimed his weapon and fired, the bullets slicing across Reina's face. He ran forward and Tifa raced past him. Reina regarded them through eyes that were hopelessly bloodshot. The skin over her eyes was gone, the bone showing through. Zidane finally finished off the last of the Shadows and moved to cover Yuna.

Tifa had reached her target. She spun and kicked out at Reina. The Heartless was still distracted and didn't shift out of Tifa's range. Tifa knocked Reina off her feet. She hit the snow and Red pinned her down, his claws sinking into her wrists. Reina didn't seem the least put out by Red's snarling face pressing into hers. She didn't even struggle. She didn't need to.

Back up had arrived.

There were so many Heartless, the kind Sora was most familiar with, appearing all around them on the snowy beach and the frozen ocean. The Heartless were everywhere, taking up almost every spot of available space.

"Kill her!" Barret yelled. "We got bigger problems!"

"Much, much bigger!" Reina laughed. "These Heartless aren't what you're used to. Sora knows all about them but I imagine she's come for him. You'll never see him alive again." She laughed giddily. "It'll all end for you soon! The Master's time is almost upon you! Kill me but he shall bring me back." She sounded as though she was cackling, her eyes so full of blood they were going black. "It's coming!

Red's teeth finished Reina off. She was laughing until the end.

Tifa and Barret stood back to back and Yuna stayed behind Zidane. Red was cut off from all of them. Heartless, their oddly shaped bodies carved out of darkness, had appeared and taken over. Snow began falling from the sky. The path back to the ship was cut off, as was the cave's opening. None of them could escape or get back to Sora.

Barret was the first to start firing. "Whatever you do," he yelled over the noise of his gun, "don't stop until they're all gone!"

Tifa began punching her way forward, grabbing a Heartless that looked like a grotesque balloon and lobbing it like a bowling ball into the crowd surrounding her. She followed after it, punching anything that tried to steal her heart.

Zidane looked down at Yuna. He reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. He tried to give her a reassuring smile but it looked more like a grimace. "Stay close. As soon as you can get to safety, go for it."

The little girl nodded, raising her staff. "I understand." She tried to ignore the trembling in her knees as she looked at the blank faces and glowing eyes of this new kind of Heartless. "I'm ready."

Their eyes met, his wide with every emotion he held within him and hers narrowed with sly amusement. If he had tried to take a step forwards his knees wouldn't have held him up. Thoughts were screaming in his head. She wore shorts, a thick hoodie and boots but the most notable part of her appearance was the massive hammer slung over one shoulder. Her hair was longer than before, darker as well. The reunion he'd occasionally allowed himself to dream about was not meant to go like this.

Kairi wasn't meant to be one of them.

 _Nothing here is meant to be and yet it is._

She stepped up to him, her too-pale hands resting lightly on his chest. She looked up into his eyes, the playful look on her face anything but innocent. "You're taller than I remember." She reached up, her hands cupping the sides of his face. "Hair's a little different too." She grabbed the longer brown strands and tugged them hard. "I thought I asked you to not change. You aren't very good at listening. That's very rude Sora. I'm disappointed in you."

"Kairi…"

She pushed herself away from him, heading towards the door that last opened on the night Destiny Islands had faded from the stars. She knocked on the wood. "The Keyhole is here. You and I need to go somewhere. Can you guess where?"

"I…"

She turned back, laughing at him, laughing at his shock. "Oh don't tell me you didn't guess! Come on, you faced all the others and you're telling me you never once suspected I'd be among their numbers?"

He shook his head. "No."

 _"S-say hello to Kairi f-for me."_

 _Did you forget?_

Kairi looked at him. "I was very upset when I learned Jasmine had died. And then you and your friends killed all the others one by one. That wasn't very nice."

"You can't be here."

She touched the wooden door again. There was an ominous creak and the door groaned, yawning open to reveal nothing but darkness beyond. "I am. Now," she turned around and held out her hand. Kairi smiled when she spied the hint of déjà vu that crossed Sora's face. "This time you'll have to come with me. Into the darkness and you'll get the answers you've been seeking ever since you came here."

 _And then I'll take what's rightfully mine._

Shadows began to creep out the door, reaching around the cave and shutting off the other path. Kairi was backing into the darkness. Sora couldn't help himself. He went after her.

"Kairi why are you here? What's going on?"

The darkness folded around her, stealing her from his sight. Her voice slipped out of the darkness. "Come to the final world. You'll get your answers. If you don't you'll have to fight me."

No. Not her. He'd never be able to… "I can't fight you."

"I know." Her voice held laughter. "So, come."

Sora stepped up to the door. Shadows wrapped around him, curling around his wrists and waist, tugging him forwards.

"Come with me Sora, follow me down. I'll take you where you need to go."

"But Kairi… it isn't you. It can't be."

"Who are you trying to convince?" She giggled, the same happy sound he'd always heard from her. "Let me play too!" Cold air blasted him. "Sora – you aren't you. You can't be. The Sora I knew wasn't a killer."

Her voice. Her voice and those terrible words, that terrible truth.

"The Sora I knew never destroyed a world."

Coming from her the truth hurt so much more.

The darkness fastened around him. Before he could stop he had passed through the door. It slammed shut behind him. He looked back but there was nothing beyond the shadow – even the outline of the door was invisible, gone as if it had never existed.

"Just keep walking. You'll be there soon. See you."

"Kairi wait!"

"Bye!"

He was running forwards. "No Kairi you can't!"

"You believe it's me now?" Her voice was coming from up ahead. He had to catch her, stop her…

Kill her?

"You aren't…this isn't right."

"It isn't? Okay then, let me play my part a little better." She cleared her throat. "Help me! Oh I'm in so much danger! What ever will poor little me do?" The laugh she let out this time was nasty, cruel and bullying. "If that's the me you want I'm glad I'm not her!"

Sora ran a little faster. Ahead of him a light began to blur through the darkness. Kairi carried on laughing and teasing, her voice always coming from up ahead even though he couldn't see her. She ignored anything he tried to say, sneering at his attempts to find out what was happening. His heart grew heavier, his stomach more uneasy. First Riku and now Kairi. Was she a Heartless too?

 _You'd like that, wouldn't you?_

The light replaced the darkness. Sora stood on a new world.

He stood on a lake of ice.

A real lake of ice. Real. He was there, living in the dream.

"Kairi? Where are you?"

Nothing. There was no hint of her presence. Kairi had gone.

Sora's breath steamed out in the cold air. He shivered. It was so cold. He turned a full circle, taking in the place he had come to stand in. He stopped when his eyes fell on it, the castle high on the cliff that looked as though it was barely managing to stand. He looked down but the other Disney Castle wasn't below the ice. That image really was just in a dream.

There was a deep, wrenching crack. Sora looked behind his shoulder. Two dreams clashed in his mind. Stained glass smashing. Ice fracturing. Darkness pulling him down. Water drowning him.

 _Rather a dull way to go, don't you think?_

Trainers squeaking over the ice, Sora slipped and skidded as he ran towards the castle. Behind him the ice began to break apart. He didn't stop running, the movement generating some much-needed heat in his body. The lake ended by a dead forest. He threw himself onto the muddy bank. Sora made it just in time. The lake was a churning soup of ice. He couldn't go back. But why would he? There was nothing to go back for.

There was only one choice.

Moving to keep warm, Sora began the climb up the cliff to the castle and whoever…whatever… waited inside.


	55. Chapter 55

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Fifty-Five

The sky was grey and puffs of snow were falling in increasingly heavy measures. The trees were soon coated white and the temperature fell even lower. The hill was getting more life a cliff, making Sora's climb even harder. His bare hands were going numb in the chill so Sora was finding it harder to hold onto the rocks when he needed to. And yet the colder it was the more he felt the pain of simple scrapes.

"Stupid cold snow," he muttered.

His arched back hurt, his lungs seemingly heavier as they struggled to move his stiffening ribs. His breath plumed in front of him but it had ceased to be amusing a very long time ago (round about when he'd been on Wonderland come to think of it). He wanted to stop and curl up but if he did that he'd be dead. Sora hooked his hands under his armpits. His body was the only source of heat in this frigid wood.

And he thought Wonderland had been cold.

A wry smile graced Sora's lips. Sometimes being from a hot climate was really not useful. His tolerance to subzero temperatures was minimal even when he was dressed for it. Right now the hoodie, vest, cut-offs and beaten-up trainers weren't much protection. He imagined his lips were looking rather blue as well… his fingertips certainly were.

 _Perhaps I'll lend you a scarf. Maybe you'll decide to hang yourself with it rather than die by my hand._

Sora looked up at the castle. It didn't look like it would offer much warmth. But he had to get there. Night was coming and without the light it wouldn't take much for Sora to slide all the way back down the hill to where he'd started from. Plus Kairi must have gone to the castle and there was also a chance that Donald and Goofy would be inside. So despite the discomfort Sora tried to go a little faster.

 _Yes, do hurry. I'm not a patient person._

He heard them before he saw them, soft sounds as their bodies appeared on top of the snow. Sora stopped and turned. The Heartless, little Shadows, appeared all around him. Oathkeeper appeared but it was hard to hold in his cold hands. At least the fight would help him warm up.

The Heartless came at him from all sides. The one that came at him from the front fell back quickly but those from the sides and behind all hit him. Sora found it hard to move, his body struggling to shake off its stiffness. It was hard to stand straight too, his back used to being hunched over thanks to the climb. Moving did bring back some of the warmth and as Sora turned to shake off his other attackers his body slowly regained its usual rhythm and he was able to attack, dodge and weave at all the right moments. Sora pushed on up the mountain, making sure the Heartless couldn't follow. They kept appearing even as he put more down. He didn't mind though. The Shadows were weak and easy to kill, plus the fight was definitely allowing him to forget the snow and ice. Up and up he went, growing closer to the castle with every attack. The Heartless couldn't stop him. Sora wasn't only driven by the need to stay warm.

He knew what this castle meant.

"He'll be all right," a doctor assured Donald, her smile a gentle one. "But the Captain isn't well enough yet to receive visitors. It was a very close call. It'll be some time before I'll allow him out of bed. Not that he'll be getting up for a while – he's still sleeping you see."

"You'll let me know the minute I can see him," the wizard ordered, trying to sound commanding despite his anxiety for Goofy.

"Of course."

Donald had no more time to waste. Grabbing his wand he ran at top speed through Disney Castle's winding hallways and outside to where the battle still raged on. He cast Curaga on everyone, refreshing their ebbing strength. Then he cast a massive Thundaga spell. Donald's magic did what he intended: all the Heartless focused on him, giving the others a chance to grab a quick breather. Donald's magic evened the odds. The wizard kept the spells going, taking out whole crowds of Heartless. But just when it looked like the Heartless were finally falling back there would be a resurgence and they didn't seem to stop. Donald's last spell was a Graviga before he knocked back an Ether. He knew the others would cover him. Leon was at his side, the Gunblade keeping the Heartless at bay.

"I don't know where they're coming from," Leon reported. "Cid's with Yuffie trying to find the source. I assume the newcomer is Riku."

"Yeah, that's him," Donald said, spying out his next target. "Where is he?"

"Fighting the Heartless at the Castle's gates. He's very strong but I don't think we should leave him alone."

"You don't trust him?" Donald asked.

"It isn't that. He's likely to get killed if he's got no back up."

Firaga blasted a path for Donald and Leon to pass down. They left the defence of the castle to the soldiers who were still protecting their home. Donald and Leon made their way to the gates where Riku was. When they got there they saw Cid and Yuffie running back from beyond the Castle's walls. Cid leapt into the air and drove his lance through a Large Body so Yuffie could go on ahead and take out the collection of Shadows.

"They seem to be coming from that lake down there," Yuffie said without giving herself time to catch her breath when she reached Leon, Riku and Donald. "Cid tried to get a closer look but the Heartless kept coming. I reckon we're making a dent though!"

"Here's the plan," Leon said while shooting a few of the closest Heartless. "Donald, you can cast Stop. We need to know what's going on at the lake. Go there with Yuffie and Stop the Heartless long enough to find out where they're coming from. The rest of us are gonna stay here and protect the castle."

"By 'rest of us' you mean you, me and the old man right?" Riku said.

Cid, who was just in ear range, yelled expletives at Riku but the teenager merely smirked. Cid gave him a foul look. The pair definitely weren't going to be getting along well. Leon ignored them and moved off to the right, fighting the gathered Invisibles and Angel Wings that were ahead of him. Making sure Riku really knew how much he hated him Cid shot him one last filthy look before racing after Leon. Still not caring, Riku went after them. An Invisible tried to skewer him but Riku's Dark Firaga took care of it.

Yuffie turned and grinned at Donald. "Ready?"

The wizard gave a terse nod. "Definitely." He wanted this battle over and done with as soon as possible.

"Let's go!"

They ran full speed at the Heartless. Yuffie's Conformer flew out and cut through swathes of Heartless, leaving Donald to pick off the stragglers that refused to die. Yuffie's attacks were wide ranging and effective so Donald managed to preserve most his magical energy. They reached the lake quickly and Donald summoned the strongest Stopga he had ever cast. His short body trembled at the magical exertion it had undergone thus far today but Donald had no time for weakness.

Once the spell was cast the Heartless stilled, some still poised to attack. Yuffie and Donald looked down to the lake. Both felt shock shaft through them. Girl and duck shared a disbelieving look. They had definitely found the source of the Heartless.

Zidane was moving faster than he ever had before, faster than his Trance. Even when facing the Necron he hadn't had this desperation driving him. Every chance he had he turned to make sure Yuna was still alive and well. So far she hadn't disappointed. The little girl was fighting with everything she had – magic when she had the time and using her staff as a club when she didn't. So far so good but with no end to the Heartless and Sora nowhere to be seen there was only so long they could last.

"Tifa!" Zidane yelled over the crowd.

"What?" she hollered back.

"We gotta get to the ship! There's no way we can take 'em all!"

"We gotta try!" It was Barret. The flashes of his gunfire gave Zidane an idea of their location and it was disheartening. Tifa and Barret were still far up the beach while Zidane and Yuna were managing to push their way back to the ship.

"I hate to disagree with you." Red's calm voice came as a shock and Zidane watched in amazement as the teenaged creature gracefully lunged over the Heartless and landed by Barret. "But Zidane is right. We cannot win this. We must make our way to the ship."

Zidane had no more time to stand and listen. Yuna cried out as one of the nasty balloon-type Heartless slammed into her. It was all he needed. Despite his fear, despite the last time he had done this, Zidane's Trance abilities took over and his body transformed. The rage was screaming through him just like before but this time it had a proper focus.

"Yuna get down!"

The girl threw herself to the ground without bothering to question him. Grand Lethal blew the Heartless away, creating huge craters of space for the group to unite in. Zidane kept attacking with Grand Lethal until he'd used up all his Trance energy. The risk of losing control had been worth it. Zidane managed to clear a path to the ship but it wasn't long before the Heartless filled in the space. At least the group was standing together on the edge of the beach now. All they had to do was launch a united offence and they'd be able to make it.

Tifa took control once Zidane's Trance ended. She held out a Red Materia orb and passed it to Yuna. "This is Bahamut. I'll trust this Materia to you. Use it only in an…"

"An emergency I know," Yuna concluded with a nervous smile. "I understand."

Nodding, Tifa addressed the whole group as quick as she could because the Heartless were regrouping. "Red, you and I are gonna attack together. Zidane you take out any that we miss. Barret make sure you hit anything that's airborne. Yuna, stick with defensive spells but go for Ultima and Holy if the Heartless start to gain the advantage." She took a deep breath. "Ready?"

"What about Sora?" Yuna cried out.

"He ain't 'ere no more," Barret replied, nodding to Tifa who ran off to fight. "Reina said there was someone else 'ere and she was gonna take him away."

"B-but…"

Barret crouched down and placed his one good hand over Yuna's shoulder. "We'll find him."

She nodded, her fears forgotten. "We always do!"

Barret ruffled her hair. "Yeah, we do."

There was no more time for reassurance. Strange, ghostlike Heartless with their eyes hanging from chains were flying over the crowds. They threw out their hands to attack. Barret shot them down, yelling at Yuna to move forward and keep up with the others.

Tifa and Red's Limit Breaks took down enough Heartless to finally bring the ship back into sight. But the closer to the ship they got, the larger the Heartless became; three massive suits of armour, two behemoths made of pure muscle, five lizard-like Heartless, and two creatures Zidane named Prison Cages (Sora would've called them Parasite Cages). These Heartless were bigger and Red's Scan Materia revealed that they were also stronger. And behind them and to all sides the less powerful but insanely numerous Heartless continued to gather.

Yuna stepped forward, Red Materia in one hand and the Ribbon in the other. "I'll hold that lot back," she nodded towards the crowd. "Oh!" She tossed Ultima to Barret. "You'll need it more than I will."

Nobody argued. There was no time to put concerns about her age first. As she summoned Madeen and Bahamut simultaneously light brighter than anything hid her from view. The others all turned away, not because they had to fight but because they had to save themselves from blindness. As they ran to take on the powerful Heartless blocking their path to the ship, Bahamut swept down from above and Madeen's magic netted countless Heartless.

Barret cast Ultima, Red summoned Ramuh, Tifa's Enemy Skill sent out Aqualung and Zidane's dual-bladed Ultima weapon cut clean through the front legs of the first Behemoth. A moment later its hulking body collapsed and faded from view. Ramuh's thunder took care of the animated armour, the lightning tearing their free floating limbs apart. Ultima blanketed all the Heartless, as did Aqualung, weakening but not killing the creatures. The four pulled together and tried to spot Yuna. She was hidden from view but the two Summons were still tearing things apart, Heartless flying all over the place in a sight that would've been comical if the threat they posed wasn't so great.

"I'll take the other Behemoth," Zidane said and moved off before anyone could argue.

"I'll go for the lizards," Red said. "Barret, give me the Contain Materia."

Barret crouched down and locked the Materia into place in one of the bangles locked around Red's right foreleg. "Good to go."

Red nodded. "I'll use Freeze. Should do the trick." Then he too was gone.

"Guess you an' me got those weird Prison Cage things," Barret said. "Let's get this over wit'."

Barret ran forwards, his gunfire never ceasing as he kept his targeted Prison Cage off balance. It kept trying to whack him with its tentacles but Barret's perfectly aimed bullets sent the limbs rebounding and left them flailing uselessly in the air. Meanwhile Tifa ran circles around the other Prison Cage, the Heartless' long tendrils twisting around and knotting themselves together. Unable to fight back it was an easy target for Tifa's fearsome attacks. Her kicks left the Heartless stunned but it was the next attack that even drew Zidane to a standstill so he could watch in disbelief. He'd never seen Tifa's Meteodrive ability before. She lifted the Prison Cage and launched it into the air. She jumped after it and caught it as though she was playing volleyball. Zidane's eyebrows were lost to his hairline when he watched Tifa throw the Prison Cage into the ice, the Heartless fading away the instant it hit the ground. Before he could pass comment, mostly about how attractive strong women were, the Behemoth gave a roar and purple lightning slammed into his body.

Wincing, but not regretting his pause to marvel at Tifa, Zidane picked up his own battle and leapt atop the Behemoth and stabbed it behind the head. He sent it into a frenzy of action. The Behemoth stomped and roared, earthquakes and lightning making the ground treacherous. Zidane began to worry that the ice would crack and give way but he had to attack again. He leapt off the Behemoth's back and once again attacked its legs. He hadn't built up the momentum to amputate its legs but the deep wounds Zidane inflicted were enough to bring the Behemoth down. The two dealt with, Zidane spied Red and ran to help him with the lizards.

Red had managed to take down two of the five lizards but now that his magic was depleted he had to fight with his claws and teeth until there was time to drink an Ether. Zidane arrived just in time, catching and deflecting a fizzing glow of light that shot out one of the lizard's eyes. The light beamed back at the lizard and collided with its head, dazing and confusing the enormous reptile.

Zidane stood over Red, holding back the second and third lizards with an assortment of elegant parries. "I've got 'em Red. Recharge!"

So while Zidane held the pair off Red pulled an Ether from the small pouch he had tied around his left leg. Magic returning Red left Zidane to take care of the dazed lizard while he dealt with one that was about to attack with its coiled tail. Just like the other two, the Contain Materia's Freeze spell took care of the lizard almost instantly. It froze solid and all Red needed to do was land a few solid blows before the lizard's body shattered. He repeated the tactic on the fourth lizard and saw that he didn't need to worry about the fifth because Zidane's blades had slashed it to death.

The biggest Heartless had all gone. Tifa and Barret had taken care of the Prison Cages and now the path to the ship was clear. Zidane didn't waste time with celebrations. Catching his breath he ran back towards the island, chucking what few Heartless remained out his path in order to reach Yuna. Madeen and Bahamut finally faded from view and the light that had nearly blinded them all was subsiding.

The Heartless that remained, a mere five Invisibles from what had been an immense army, all converged on Yuna's position. Zidane still couldn't see her through the light but he didn't dare leave her alone.

"Yuna!"

It was worse. More Heartless were appearing. Their numbers were building faster than anyone could keep track of. Zidane cut through all the Heartless blocking his way to Yuna but whenever one fell two replaced it.

"Red, Tifa, get the ship ready to go!" Barret yelled before he ran after Zidane.

Zidane threw himself into the Heartless and tried to push them out the way. But when one was gone there were another five behind it and another ten behind them.

"Holy!"

The magic weaved in the air, ribbons of light piercing the Heartless and tossing them to the ground. Zidane finally saw Yuna and wasted no time grabbing her and pulling her back towards the ship. He didn't look back at her to make sure she was all right. She was running at least. Zidane had to keep his eyes on the Heartless appearing and replacing the ones that were dying away. He left the fighting to Barret who was picking off only the Heartless who came closest to attacking. The ship's engines were coughing to life and soon the powerful thrumming drowned out Barret's gunshots.

Barret only started running backwards when Zidane was alongside him. "Where the hell are they all comin' from?"

"I dunno. Let's just get out of here."

The ship was hovering off the ground, its weapons firing on the crowds chasing after Zidane, Yuna and Barret. They made it to the ramp and Zidane yanked Yuna forward, pushing her ahead of him. He scrambled up behind her and held out a hand to Barret. Gritting his teeth Zidane hauled the big man up.

"Cheers."

Zidane waved a breathless hand. "Any time."

The three entered the ship and Barret hit the button to seal the hatch. Yuna took the lead as they headed to the bridge where they found Red struggling with the helm while Tifa operated the guns. Barret hurriedly took the wheel and pulled the ship higher into the air.

"Whoa," Zidane said, his eyes on the screen that gave a view of the lands below. "There's gotta be more Heartless than grains of sand down there!"

Tifa took a deep breath as she turned away from the weapons. "Reina told us it means the end is coming. She said these Heartless are from another universe and the only way they could be here is because something's changing, something bad."

"We're sure Sora's not down there, right?" Zidane said, his eyes still watching the Heartless multiplying.

"Positive," Red answered. "He's gone to Disney Castle."

Barret set a course. "Let's finish this."

"Yeah," Tifa agreed.

Yuna drank an Elixir, gasping for breath once it was all gone. "We gotta go make sure Sora doesn't get into too much trouble. Let's get there quick!"

Zidane laughed. "Better not argue with the young lady who has Bahamut at her command."

"Full speed ahead," Barret replied.

Cloud opened his eyes, the world still a blur. He shivered; knowing that wherever he was lying it was cold and damp. Slowly his head began to clear and his strength returned. When his vision swam into focus he forced himself to his feet. He found himself on the edge of a snowy forest by a lake. He looked around and saw it, the castle, on the other side of the lake.

The castle looked like a derelict version of Disney Castle.

"Kairi?" He called but received no response. It didn't take long for him to realise he was completely alone. The redheaded girl was nowhere in sight.

There was only one option. Ensuring his swords were still properly harnessed, Cloud began the long trek to the castle.

The lake was frozen over and the Heartless seemed to be pulling themselves out a portal hanging over it. Yuffie and Donald watched as Heartless they'd never seen before began appearing, Heartless with bodies of pure darkness and arms like scythes. There were others as well, demon-like with wings and huge red veins carrying immense magical energy through their bodies. These newest Heartless radiated deadly power.

"What are we gonna do?" Yuffie murmured. She held the Conformer ready, trying to pick the right target but unable to do so. "I don't think we can take these alone. I dunno if all of us could take one at a time."

Donald stepped in front of the girl, holding his wand horizontally ahead of him. "Get back to the others. I'll hold them all here."

"What? Are you mad?"

Magic was already gathering around Donald. "I know what I'm doing. Make sure Merlin knows how to get Sora back. The sooner they do that the sooner this'll stop."

"What are you going to do?"

"Two spells – Petrify and Stopga. Two measures to stop them and that portal."

"Donald…"

"This is my world and I won't let those pesky Heartless harm it!" Donald turned the full force of his irritability on Yuffie and she gulped nervously under his gaze. "I'll hold them off. Go. Don't let anyone else come. I'll hold them back. The rest of you have to protect yourselves."

Yuffie opened her mouth to argue but Donald was already casting the two spells. As she ran back to the castle at top speed the Heartless around her began to stiffen, some even turning to stone. She couldn't help but look back. What she saw brought tears to her eyes.

A Heartless had its hand buried in Donald's chest. The two of them had turned to stone.

Forcing herself to start moving again, Yuffie brushed the tears away and made it back to where Leon, Cid and Riku were standing and watching.

"It's Donald," she told them, stopping to swallow back the sobs. "There's a portal on the lake and there are some nasty, and I mean nasty, Heartless down there. I've never seen anything like it."

"What's Donald doing?" Riku asked, his hand still tightly holding the Soul Eater as if he didn't trust the spells holding the Heartless motionless.

"He used Petrify and Stopga together. But I dunno if he's gonna make it. There's a Heartless with its hand in his chest."

Riku went pale. "What?"

"They've both been Petrified. All the Heartless have. I dunno how long it'll hold." Her eyes settled on Leon. "We need plans, lots of plans."

Leon nodded. "We're going back to the library. Get all the soldiers inside and get them barricading every single door and window they can manage."

"We'll need to set up defences too," Riku added.

"You're right. We also need a better idea of what we might be facing," Leon went on.

"I'm on it," Cid said. "I'll get higher up and see what's going on." He ran off into the castle's interior.

The others went inside too, the wounded soldiers being supported by their comrades. Leon was calling to the soldiers and passing out the orders. Yuffie ran straight back to the library, yelling for Merlin.

"Yes, yes my dear girl I can hear you! Whatever's the matter?" Merlin and Aerith hurried over from the bookshelf and Yuffie quickly filled them in. The wizard stroked his beard thoughtfully. "A portal and Heartless like you've never seen before? Yes, I think I know what's happening."

"What is it?" Aerith asked.

"Three universes yes? Light, that being this one, In-Between where we hope Sora, Kairi and Cloud are and, at the bottom of the pile, Dark. We already know the barrier separating Light and In-Between have been weakened although we don't know why. It's no surprise that the barrier keeping us out of the Dark universe is weakening as well."

"How do we stop it?" Yuffie demanded. "We have to stop it!"

"There's not much we can do aside from, well, not dying. I'm rather certain I mentioned before that the only way to restore balance is for Sora to finish whatever he's doing in the In-Between universe." Merlin paused before adding, "Well if I didn't mention it I have now!"

"Wasn't it Riku who talked about that?" Yuffie whispered to Aerith.

The older woman ignored her. "I'm going down to the lake. Donald will need my help."

"No Aerith. Donald said he'd take care of it. Besides we need you here. There are wounded soldiers and we'll need spells for our defences."

She ran out just as Cid came running in. "We've got a major problem. Donald may have stopped one bunch of Heartless but we've got the old fashioned kind coming up the back walls and the ghostly kind poppin' up inside the castle and they ain't just floatin' around all peaceful like. They're aggressive."

Yuffie swore. Aerith ran out the library saying she was headed to the infirmary. Cid chewed on his stick. "Damn I need a ciggy." His hand tightened around his lance. "So, anyone got any bright ideas?"

"We fight," Yuffie answered. "I'm not dying here!"

Merlin returned to his books. "I believe I may have found something here, in the King's reports but I need more time. I shall create a shield around the castle and the infirmary so the wounded are safe. Then I shall continue my research. There's something troubling me."

"Yeah?" Yuffie said. "Something other than the masses of Heartless?"

Merlin ignored her. "I'm setting up the shields. You two should join Leon."

"Seriously," Yuffie said. "What's troubling you?"

"Memories."

"Huh?"

"Go," Merlin commanded her. "And lock the door behind you."

Yuffie hurried after Cid. Great winds began to build in the hallways as Merlin's magic grew and insulated the castle as best it could. The pair found Leon and his grim look told them he already knew. He held his Gunblade ready and around him the soldiers were working hard to barricade the castle's main doors with whatever furniture they could find. Through the windows Merlin's shield was visible, a glowing bubble of light. But while it would stop anything trying to come in from outside there was nothing it could do to stop the Heartless already in the castle.

Leon, Yuffie, Cid and a group of soldiers headed deeper into the castle. They knew they were closing in on the ghost-Heartless when the air began to freeze. They drifted in from the gardens, their human faces twisted with malevolence.

"Right kids," Cid said. "Here're the rules. Do not die. Got it? Good." He threw his stick to the ground. "Move out!"

The fight began.

By the time he reached the castle grounds Sora was exhausted. He'd taken down more Heartless than he could count. He let Oathkeeper fizzle away, his arm too tired to keep hold of it. He was warm all right but his body was aching and the thought of any further fighting filled him with dread. He patted his pockets and turned up just one Elixir. It was all he had left. He drank it quickly and felt his energy rebuilding. He took a deep breath and faced the castle. The gates hung open. They didn't have much choice – their brickwork supports were tilting dangerously. One wrong gust of wind and the gates would never stand again. Sora hurried through them, half expecting the huge black gates to suddenly drop on him. Thankfully they didn't and he found himself on the drawbridge. It hung over the reflective moat, the barren grounds beyond calling him in. How odd, he thought, that the snow didn't seem to touch this place.

Sora walked into the crumbling grounds. The castle itself was battered and bruised, a testament to its years of decay. The trees were amputated mutations. Dust from the broken stones and dead plants coated the ground, his trainers leaving a perfect trail. The sky above struggled towards a bright blue but it couldn't help but look as though the life had been drained from it even though snow clouds were racing in. Everything about this place was…

…like an aged oil painting that was beginning to crease and crack at the edges.

Sora smiled, a real smile, when he remembered that dream from so long ago. What were those other words?

 _I think it was 'a tableau of timelessness'. Beautiful. You have the soul of a poet._

"Where are you?"

"Right here."

Sora spun around, Oathkeeper reappearing. Ansem stood behind him, the same sly smirk on his face.

"You," Sora growled, anger and hatred and even desperation vying for attention in his heart. "You're the one who did all this."

Ansem said nothing. He didn't need to.

Kairi stepped out from behind him. "There's someone else here. Someone came. He's on the other side of the lake."

"My dear," Ansem replied, cupping her cheek in one hand. "See to it that our unwelcome visitor has a painful death."

"Of course." Her smile was as sweet as ever.

Kairi left the castle grounds. Ansem's focus was once again on Sora. "Have you begun to understand anything yet?"

"What's there to understand? I didn't kill you right last time so this time I gotta make sure I get the job done perfectly."

"Still blinded by righteousness," Ansem responded. "I expected nothing and was right to do so."

Black smoke gathered behind him. Sora assumed the Heartless guardian would appear as it had the last time they had fought. But as so often happened Sora was wrong.

"He gave up his body for power, my power. This is his repayment."

It was Riku. Like a lifeless puppet, emotionless and pale as death, Riku's body hung behind Ansem, his once green eyes filmed over with whiteness.

"Can you fight him again?"

Sora crouched down, ready for the oncoming battle. "He's not the one I'm fighting. You are."

Ansem held out his hands and his double-bladed Soul Eater lance appeared. "Of all the things I've studied in my lifetime you are the one that makes the least amount of sense to me." The air hissed as Ansem rotated his massive weapon. "How can you survive when you barely understand what's happening?"

Sora didn't bother to answer. He moved straight into Sonic Blade, crossing the distance between himself and Ansem in a blink of the eye. Of course the man lifted himself out the way, Oathkeeper missing its mark.

"You'll not kill me so easily!"

"No," Sora agreed. "But I will kill you."


	56. Chapter 56

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Fifty-Six

Ansem moved first, his lance lunging forward. Sora parried it by catching the Soul Eater on the Keyblade and spinning around, leaving Ansem to stumble off balance. But he summoned his guardian and Riku's zombie-like body protected Ansem from Sora's next attack. Sora couldn't stop himself in time and Oathkeeper left a deep gouge across Riku's chest. Sora forced himself away before he did any more damage. A voice in his head, his own voice, was telling him that this wasn't the real Riku and hurting him didn't matter but Sora refused to listen. He'd killed this other Riku once before. He wouldn't do it again. There had to be a better way of stopping him. Sora kept his eyes on Ansem, disgusted that the man couldn't fight fair.

"Fight fair?" Ansem laughed. Sora jerked in shock. How had Ansem plucked the thought from his head? "Life isn't fair! I can't understand you at all! How does someone so naïve survive all this?" And he held up his arms to encompass the castle and, by extension, everything that had happened since Sora's arrival in the In-Between Universe. "I must understand you! I have to know what drives you!"

"I am not one of your science experiments Ansem."

Sora attacked again but Ansem caught Oathkeeper with his spear and rotated it, twisting the Keyblade around and pulling Sora's footing off. Ansem hit him under the chin with the spear's shaft. The boy fell dizzily; reactions alone making him roll out the way of a nasty stabbing. He held Ansem's next attack off with his feet, catching the Soul Eater between them and rolling backwards, wrenching the weapon from Ansem's hands. Sora flipped to his feet, ready to attack but Riku held him back, suspending him midair to allow his master time to retrieve his weapon. Sora struggled but Riku's strength was immense, probably fuelled by Ansem's own power. Ansem pulled his weapon out of the weeds it had fallen into and nodded to Riku who finally let Sora go. Ansem held the lance over his head, spinning it so fast it became a blur. Sora retaliated with Ars Arcanum. The move's lunging jump caught Ansem by surprise and he failed to order Riku into position. The successive blows kept Ansem from attacking and Sora kept putting more strength into each hack and slash than he ever had before. He knew he couldn't let Ansem regain the upper hand as he moved into the finishing moves, the Keyblades glow deepening in colour as Sora closed in on the final assault. With Finis Sora leapt up, turned the double somersault and slashed out. The blow caught Ansem and blood began to bloom across his chest.

"On guardian!" he bellowed and Riku slid in front of his body, stopping Sora from getting through.

Sora leapt over Ansem's head, attacking from behind. The Soul Eater caught his weapon and again Ansem wrenched Sora off balance, this time without even looking. Ansem turned quickly. Sora spread his legs and ducked below Ansem's next sweeping blow, bringing the Keyblade up to attack Ansem's exposed side. Oathkeeper glanced his ribs before Riku moved again. Sora ground his teeth together. He would never win this fight if he didn't do something about Riku.

Using his limited magical energies Sora cast Stopga specifically on Riku. He stayed still as Ansem moved away. Sora backed away, jumping over what had once been a fountain. When he landed he realised how badly the rock had crumbled. What if…? Ansem was standing on the other side, preparing to slice through it.

Ansem's bellows of laughter boomed across the empty place. "You cannot simply hide from me and hope to win!"

Sora pushed against the stonework with all his might. It took less effort than he expected, the masonry grinding as it fell apart and tumbled onto Ansem. The man took the hit hard and Sora pushed forward once more. He dared not use Ultima – to do so would drain almost all his magical energy and he was going to need it. He managed one blow before Ansem placed a revived Riku in-between himself and Sora. Sora felt his stomach squeeze. He knew he had to get rid of Riku for longer than the duration of a Stopga and he knew it keenly. The question was how. He had no ideas right now. And Ansem was coming back, his attacks faster, harder to dodge and even harder to fight back against. Sora ducked below a spinning arc, rolling under Riku and coming up to attack. But Ansem was too fast, sweeping backwards and leaving Riku to punch Sora, sending him tumbling backwards towards the steps leading into the castle. He ran up them, gaining height so he could attack from above. It worked, the two meeting halfway up the stone stairs. The tip of Oathkeeper drew a jagged line down the left side of Ansem's face. His eye became clouded and blinded with blood. With a raging roar Ansem shoved Sora back. He cracked his head painfully on the stone steps but before he could pass out Sora had to defend himself from Riku. Sora managed to lift his feet and push Riku back. He got to his feet, shaking his head to clear out the clouds.

For a moment their eyes met. It shot through Sora, the sadness that still somehow lingered in Riku's dead eyes. He had wanted to die before, his behaviour to the contrary only ever an act. Sora nodded, to himself or Riku it didn't matter.

"I will end this."

Cloud was about to start the climb up the hill when he heard his name called from behind. He turned and saw Kairi, the girl smiling beatifically. A strange feeling passed over him, the chill nothing to do with the snow and ice.

"You all right?" he asked, closing in on her.

"Yes. I found a way into the castle. There are tunnels all through the hill. I think they must lead up. I found myself in there. There were a lot of other ways outside but I couldn't get through. Only this way was open."

"What happened to your weapon?" Cloud asked as she began leading him towards her tunnels.

"Hm, I don't know. I must have lost it along the way."

The tunnel entrance was built into the side of the hill, the grim grey stone bare and chiselled into shapes that once must have resembled great suits of armour but were now shapeless lumps. There was a rotted metal grill leaning limply against one wall. It had once been the gate keeping the tunnels barred from those unwelcome within. Or, Cloud considered as he stepped into the damp corridors, the gate had once kept people in. Uneasiness crept up on him and he reached for one of his smaller swords, holding it ready in case anything came for them. Kairi stayed behind, her lighter footsteps barely echoing. Water dripped and pooled, reflecting light that struggled to glow from aged candles. Cloud could see numerous cells, dingy holes behind rusted bars. They were another fate worse than death he decided, turning away and carrying on. Kairi, he noted, was taking it all in her stride. He had imagined her acting a little less certain and a lot more anxious. Instead she marched nonchalantly behind him. He half expected her to begin humming a tune.

When she did he knew something was wrong.

He didn't let on straight away. The path had turned into stairs and they were heading up. She hadn't stabbed him in the back but he knew she was up to something.

The stairs ended at a door that was falling apart. He pushed it and the wood disintegrated. He stepped into a massive hallway complete with outdated gymnastics equipment.

"This was once where they let the prisoners play."

The game was over.

Kairi walked a large circle and came to stand in front of him. "Sometimes they're still allowed to come. But only when we have prisoners." She winked at him. "Most of the time we just kill them."

Around her the black shapes of the Heartless appeared, joined by the human-like ghosts. Cloud drew his largest sword and slotted the smaller into place. The crowd parted to allow Kairi through and she disappeared down a tunnel at the far end of the chamber. Cloud held his weapon up. A moment later it was cutting through everything in his path.

Riku had no weapon. He didn't need one. His punches and kicks were akin to being hit with bricks. Riku might have lacked Tifa's grace but his power was probably as great as hers, if not greater thanks to Ansem's power sustaining him. Sora never stood still and that meant he never had time to think of an attack. He was dodging, jumping, somersaulting and running. He was deep inside the main entrance hall now, huge latticed windows lighting up massive empty space. Shadows of snow danced over Sora and Riku. Sora had to take a risk. If he didn't he was going to get too exhausted to fight back. He didn't want to waste energy with his abilities or magic so instead he was going to have to force Riku to make a mistake.

Sora moved towards one of the room's pillars that held the chamber's roof aloft. Riku predictably lashed out with a kick. Sora jumped at the last minute, flipping over Riku's head and attacking him from behind. The gouge should have resulted in massive bleeding but, of course, Riku was already dead and therefore had no blood to shed. How did you kill the undead? Before Sora could come up with the solution Riku was reaching for the advantage again, spinning into a kick despite the wound. Sora flipped backwards and landed, raising Oathkeeper just quick enough to catch Riku's punch. Sora regretted not sparring with Tifa more often. If he had he would've known how to fight back against Riku more effectively. Maybe the only way was to use magic but Sora didn't dare. Ansem was still there and if Ultima left him too drained the man would finish him off easily.

Sora hadn't come all this way just to die.

It galvanised him into action. When Riku kicked out again Sora didn't bother using the Keyblade. He caught Riku's leg and swung the around, wrenching Riku's other foot off the ground and sending him crashing to the ground. Sora had the time to call the Keyblade back out. He didn't give Riku a chance to get back up, instead using sweeping blows to keep him down.

But Sora didn't finish Riku off. Something distracted him. There were Heartless pulling themselves out the walls and ceiling, some ghostly and others like those from the Light universe. Worse were the ones Sora had never seen before in his life, hulking entities cut from the darkness and infused with power Sora could almost smell. He crouched, ready to fight them all off despite the little voice chanting 'you'll die' more fearfully with each repetition. To Sora's relief none of the Heartless attacked. They seemed only too willing to let Riku fight for them.

Sora definitely didn't want to be around when they all changed their minds.

The Oblivion keychain still sat heavily in his pocket. He knew the fight would be easier if he had both his weapons but he couldn't use it. Just thinking about it for a brief second stole his concentration enough for Riku to punch him in the chest and launch him into the air. Sora smacked into a pillar and slid to the ground. Coughing, he pulled himself to his feet before he gained worse injuries. He forgot about Oblivion and battled on with Oathkeeper, once again forced to block Riku's vicious jabs and kicks. Riku was a mess, bloodless gashes all over his body and yet he was still fighting at full strength. There had to be a way to kill him. There had to. Sora didn't bother to worry at the word kill anymore. He couldn't worry about anything beyond the space he lived in right there, right now. And in that place Sora knew Riku had to be stopped.

Riku reached out for him, his outstretched hand going for Sora's chest. For an insane moment Sora thought Riku was going to try and steal his heart. Then he realised that was exactly what Riku intended. Sora reacted. Maybe it was because he knew what would happen to him if his heart were taken. He fought back ferociously, replacing grace with urgency. This. Had. To. Be. Over. Sora didn't register the snap of Riku's arm or the hideous squelch as one of his eyes was popped from its socket. He didn't even notice Ansem stepping into the room. He kept pushing Riku back, back until he was underneath a massive chandelier that hung, with several others, from the ceiling above. Somehow Sora noticed that. If he couldn't kill Riku, and the hole through his stomach that would've brought down any normal person (any normal Heartless) told Sora he couldn't, his only option was to stop his former friend from moving. Sora had to use more of his magic and he knew that after this he would be running desperately low with no method of restoring it. There was nothing else for it. He cast Stopga on Riku again before jumping back, spinning the Keyblade until the tip was pointed at the hinge that connected the chandelier to the ceiling. Sora blasted it with Firaga. He had to extend the spell's reach at the cost of more magic in order to stop those Heartless that were near the chandelier from catching it. The massive decoration fell, crumpling over Riku and pinning him to the ground. Metal jutted through his body in numerous areas and yet still he lived, his single dead eye turning to Sora. Riku's face was blank but Sora imagined Riku hated him for doing something that had to be excruciatingly painful. Sora kept an eye on the other Heartless but none of them attacked. They just watched him with their inhuman eyes, shooting chills through Sora. His heart tightened nervously, his hand gripped Oathkeeper until his hand went white. When would they attack? When his back was turned? When Ansem told them to? He almost wished they'd all launch themselves at him. At least that way the agonising wait would be over.

"Violent, aren't you?" Ansem observed. He stood by the doors that led deeper into the castle. "I'm glad." He turned away and stepped out the hall. "Hurry boy. We shall end this."

Ansem disappeared. Sora spared one last look for Riku. He quickly turned away, Riku's lifeless eye and bloodied eye socket already preparing to haunt Sora's worst nightmares. Sora ran out of the hallway, leaving Riku broken below the chandelier and hoping with all his might that the Heartless in the walls wouldn't chase him down.

Out of the ten soldiers that had gone to fight the Heartless in the castle only five remained and they had all striped off their heavy armour. The Heartless' cold attacks were magnified by metal, meaning that if one soldier got it the person standing with him took a nasty chill as well. It wasn't all bad though. The good news was that alongside the soldiers Leon, Cid and Yuffie did have the advantage.

Cid's spear jabbed into a Heartless' body. He wrenched it out, black blood staining its metal blade. Yuffie's Conformer spat blood as it spun through the air. Squall had already enhanced the Gunblade to its colossal magical length and the Heartless' cleaved bodies were turning the castle garden's grass a horrid colour. More Heartless were appearing but in fewer, less aggressive numbers.

Aerith came out of the castle. She looked at the battle, saw the wounded soldiers and how hard her friends were fighting. She reached into the pouch resting around her waist and pulled out two Materia orbs. She briefly regretted leaving her staff behind but knew she could still summon the magic powerfully enough.

"Take cover!" she yelled.

Paired with a blue All Materia Aerith's Fire3 burnt everything in its path. When the flames died the Heartless were all gone. There was time for the wounded to be taken away. Soon the Heartless were returning, the ghosts steaming thanks to the lingering heat of the flames. Yuffie attacked first. She pulled a handful of throwing stars from her back pocket, leapt up and lobbed her small projectiles at the gathering crowd. Leon and Cid moved in together, Leon picking off single targets with bullets as Cid's spear lashed out and yanked numerous Heartless off their feet. Aerith's powerful magic helped as well, attacking, defending or healing as appropriate.

It was sooner rather than later that the last Heartless fell and wasn't replaced. The group returned to the library and found Merlin frowning rather sternly over a dusty tome.

"Do you need any help with the barrier?" Aerith asked.

"I'd be terribly grateful if you could give it a boost," Merlin answered, managing to sound polite despite his grim expression. He pointed without looking to a crystal globe that pulsated with yellow-gold light. "Just focus your energies into that dear and it'll boost the shield's strength. You won't need to hold out long, just a minute or so."

Aerith's power added to Merlin's reinforcing the shield against the attacking Heartless who attempted to break it down. After Aerith boosted it the Heartless redoubled their efforts, desperate to break down the barriers and steal all the hearts lying beyond.

"That'll help it hold," Aerith said calmly.

Yuffie was watching Merlin curiously. "Whatcha reading?" She asked.

"It's about you."

Whatever Yuffie had been expecting that wasn't it. "You what?"

Merlin finally looked up. "It's about all of you. Of course it doesn't name any of you specifically but what it speaks of is highly intriguing. It is definitely a situation that applies to you all. I think you may all wish to sit down."

Riku came in. He had been helping the soldiers patrol the various exits and entries into the castle and barricading them. It would be the first line of defence if the shield fell. "The only risk now is the Heartless that can fly," he explained. "They'll be able to break through any of the windows we've been unable to board up." He suddenly seemed to realise he'd barged in at a time when something else was happening. "Sorry," he added and took a seat off to one side.

"What's the problem Merlin?" Leon asked, his voice betraying his impatience to be elsewhere doing something.

"Your memories have been altered. I highly doubt any of you have ever noticed but nevertheless things aren't quite as they seem."

Cid was the first with a vocal reaction. "Eh?"

"You all think that Hollow Bastion is your home world. It isn't. I know it isn't because I visited that world many times before Maleficent took control and I know that I never saw any of you."

"It's a big world," Cid pointed out.

"Please do not doubt my power despite my cheerful personality. If I say I never knew any of you to live on Hollow Bastion then I am right."

"Okay fine, that's fine, we didn't come from that world, okay great," Yuffie butted in, the speed of her words belying her disbelief. "Where are we from?"

"I don't know.

"Helpful. If what you say is true, and I dunno if I agree because I don't remember anything but this lovely life of mine, why were our memories changed?" Yuffie went on.

Merlin's finger landed on a paragraph in his book. He began to read aloud. "'Destinies are never set in stone. A great power can easily manipulate lives…'"

"The Keyblade," Leon murmured.

Merlin went on. "'When dark forces arise they always unwittingly set off chain reactions in those who fight for the light. The greatest weapon, the Keyblade, has the power to adapt destinies and fate, allowing those powerfully aligned with light to be placed where they would be able to help the Keyblade's wielder.' So you see, the Keyblade manipulated your lives because it needed you. Sora needed you. All of you have been fighting the Heartless. The Keyblade didn't just chose its master, it chose those who had the ability to fight the Heartless."

"But why change our lives?" Yuffie demanded. She was starting to realise Merlin's suggestion to take a seat was a good one. "Why couldn't we just stay as we were?"

"I'd imagine your real worlds were taken by the Heartless. In order to save you the power of light stepped in and ensured that sadness, anger and bitterness wouldn't lead you to choose dark over light."

"It makes sense," Aerith said quietly. "I don't like the idea that I may have forgotten things but maybe what happened to us was for the best."

"How?" Leon demanded.

Aerith didn't answer him. Riku did. "You're a powerful fighter. You all are in your own ways. Imagine if Sora had had to face all of you if you were all fighting on Ansem's side." Everyone caught on to Riku's meaning. "So if light pulled you off your destroyed worlds before the darkness consumed you I think you should be glad rather than unhappy or angry. When this is all over your lives will go back to how they were before. Probably."

Cid suddenly looked hopeful. "D'ya reckon that means all the people we thought we lost are actually okay somewhere else?"

Leon turned to Merlin. "Is that possible?"

Merlin nodded. "Oh I'd say it is very likely. We're all well aware of what the power of darkness can do. Who's to say light can't save everyone?" He clapped his hands together. "Now then you've all suffered quite a shock, had a rather lengthy fight and probably all need to ask me countless questions. Who's for tea?"

Sora ran down corridors he had seen in dreams and felt the chills that had been real only in his mind until now. Ansem was ahead of him, running faster than Sora could. The man knocked objects into Sora's path but the boy easily cleared them. Sometimes Heartless appeared out of nowhere, trying to stop Sora from reaching Ansem. He cut through them, not caring if he killed them or not – as long as they were behind him the ceased to be an issue. Sora couldn't lose Ansem. But what was the point of this chase? Ansem was leading Sora deeper into the castle, countless disused rooms passing them by. Every so often Ansem would take a turn or run up a flight of stairs, taking them ever close to the top of the castle. Sora's thighs were really feeling the strain and his lungs worked overtime, his throat painful because it was so dry. He forced himself to keep going. The last thing he wanted to do was get lost in the labyrinth. His numerous dreams had never been clear enough to act as a map.

Sora finally caught up when they stood in a tall hallway. Ansem was waiting. Balls of Graviga issued from his hands. Sora dodged the spells and closed the distance between them, jumping up and thrusting the Keyblade out. He caught Ansem in the chest and the man skidded backwards. That worked to Ansem's advantage. He pushed off his back leg and swept the lance out, catching Sora's stomach and drawing a deep line across it. The boy stumbled back butignored the stinging pain as best he could. Ansem was already following the move up, the spear turning massive loops so Ansem could wield both ends to their full potential. Sora had to get on Ansem's other side if he wasn't going to be forced back down the stairs. High Jump carried him up and Sora managed a half-twisting somersault so he could fight the moment his feet hit the ground without the worry that Ansem would stab him in the back. Nevertheless Ansem caught Sora's first swing. Sora pulled the Keyblade back and switched hands. He crouched low and lashed out. Sora's curving blow came at Ansem from a side he wasn't expecting. Sora made sure Oathkeeper's jagged tip caught Ansem and dug a deep gash over the man's legs.

Blood splattered onto the stone floor. Ansem hissed and attacked again, jabbing the spear in short, rapid jerks. Sora either dodged or blocked them. He was being forced backwards though and he didn't know what was behind him. He sensed empty space but there was no telling when he'd smack into a brick wall. Sora kicked the lance off course when Ansem attacked again. He then swung the Keyblade wildly, allowing it to carry his body through a pirouette. Ansem fell against the wall. He pushed himself off but instead of attacking Ansem turned to a massive set of doors on the right side of the hallway. He pushed them open and stepped in, letting them shut behind him. Sora blinked. Was that it? He listened and noted when the sound of Ansem's beating footsteps stopped. He took a breath and stepped up to the room. Sora held Oathkeeper ready and kicked the door in. He crossed the threshold. The room was massive and cavernous, Sora's footsteps echoing loudly despite the trainers' soft soles. At one time in its misfortunate past the chamber must have been a library. Now very few volumes sat on the shelves laden instead with dust and ancient nets of spider webs. The light was poor, the windows obscured with snow. Shadows lingered everywhere, the room desperately chilled.

Ansem was standing still with his back to Sora. He didn't speak. His silence was unnerving. Sora ignored the aches and weaknesses in his body and ran to attack. Ansem was ready. He merely turned to Sora, the Soul Eater spear spinning around to block the Keyblade. Sora pulled back and tried an over-arm blow. Ansem lifted the Soul Eater and caught the Keyblade with ease. Fighting with Riku had taught Sora the benefit of not just fighting with his weapon. He lashed out with a foot too fast for Ansem to block. Hooking it under the lance Sora bent his knee. Ansem refused to let go of his weapon so he tilted forwards. Sora used it against him, letting Oathkeeper go so he could grab Ansem's lance and swing himself around it. Ansem was too shocked to dismiss his weapon and received a double-footed kick to the face. Ansem's nose broke. Sora flipped around and let go of the spear, Oathkeeper rematerialising as his body straightened out. In midair he managed to hit Ansem again, the wound over his eyes deep enough to reveal the skull beneath. Ansem felt the pain but didn't seem to care. He backhanded Sora across the face before launching into a rapid series of swings and lunges. Sora gained a nasty wound across his chest and one under his arm as he tried to swing the Keyblade over Ansem's wild but highly controlled attacks. He didn't use Curaga though. He was saving that for the last minute. Instead he met Ansem's attack head on, hacking away at Ansem's offensive stance. It was tough going, Sora having to continuously attack high and low to stop Ansem from predicting his moves. Ansem hurdled Sora's low sweep but he was caught out when Sora switched tactics halfway through the move, grabbing the Keyblade with both hands for a diagonal slash. Again Ansem fell back with a groan of pain. Hope began to grow within Sora. Maybe he stood a chance of winning.

Of course he did. How could he think he didn't? Losing wasn't an option.

They were moving backwards in the library, their feet kicking up years of dust. Ansem would soon find himself pinned up against a bookcase and he knew it. For a moment he hovered in the air. Faster than Sora could properly perceive Ansem had flown over the bookshelf and landed on the other side. Sora's eyes went wide when he saw the bookshelf shift. He dived to the side, barely avoiding the crushing weight of the first shelf when the bookcase he had landed in front of began to move as well. Instead of moving forwards Sora jumped on top of the fallen shelf and spotted Ansem who had expected Sora to take the naïve option. Sora had surprise on his side and he used it well. There was a window behind Ansem who was too busy pushing on the third and final shelf to notice Sora. Sora skidded in front of Ansem, held the Keyblade horizontally to shove the man backwards before using his Vortex ability, the spinning attack gaining enough power to send Ansem flying through the air. His back hit the glass window. It shattered and he fell out into the snow-filled garden below. Sora jumped after him.

Barret brought the ship into orbit. They all looked down onto Disney Castle's world with the same feeling sinking their stomachs. This wasn't going to be easy.

"What's the plan?" Barret said.

"We're going together," Tifa answered. "Safety in numbers."

"Gotcha."

Barret landed the ship as close to the castle as he could safely get it. There was a clear, level plain halfway up the hill. Thanks to this ship being far smaller than the Highwind it fit snugly. Before they disembarked everyone checked their equipment and supplies. Ready to move out, Tifa took the lead. Yuna's elders placed her in the centre of the group where they hoped she would be safest. The air outside the ship was cold, snow tumbling in massive flakes from the steely sky. Zidane and Red quickly patrolled the edge of the plain but there was nothing nasty lurking amidst the snowy trees. The group began heading up, the hill steep enough for them to require handholds every now and then. When they eventually came up alongside the castle they were faced with an entrance that had a sturdy, if rusty, portcullis blocking it. Zidane tried slashing it and Barret tried shooting it, all to no avail. Red inspected it a little closer, making a variety of informed noises as he went.

"Tifa? A word please."

Tifa listened to Red's advice with a nod. The Enemy Skill Materia glowed before Aqualung burst out. The water soaked the trellis and that was when Red summoned Freeze. The result was a heavy coat of ice that clung to the rusting gate.

Red turned to Barret. "Fire away."

The combined effect of Aqualung's rusting effect, Freeze's added weight and Barret's heavy firepower smashed the gate down noisily. Yuna gave a cheer and Tifa took the lead again, stepping into the darkened castle interior. She had only taken a few paces when she stopped dead.

Zidane looked at her. "What is -?"

She silenced him sharply and everyone tried to hear what had brought Tifa to a halt.

"Can anyone hear me? Hello?" From somewhere ahead came the sound of rattling metal. "Let me out!"

Yuna grabbed Zidane's hand fearfully, her imagination picturing all kinds of nastiness. She was afraid the voice belonged to a ghost. Barret took the lead, the female voice calling from up ahead getting louder as they headed further down the hallway. They walked through numerous open gateways. The hallway was cold and Red had to use Fire to light the torches that were mounted on the walls to pierce the darkness. They went by countless closed doors and desks with mouldy sets of keys rusting away to nothing upon them. One of the desks they passed by had a large hammer resting upon it. It was odd compared to the rest of their surroundings because the hammer looked so new. Having no need for such a tool they left it behind. The doors soon gave way to bare cells in varying states of disuse.

"Guess we found the dungeons," Zidane commented. "Can't say I've seen worse and being a thief I've seen a few."

The voice called out again. "Who's there? Hello?"

"Um…um… we're friends if you are!" Yuna called out, surprising everyone.

More surprising the unknown female gave a laugh. "I'm a friend as long as you're not a Heartless!"

Tifa took control. "Keep talking – we'll locate you with your voice."

"Okay. Er… Well my name's Kairi and I came here with a man called…"

"Kairi!" The others repeated.

"Yes…? Wait! Is Sora with you?"

"He's here somewhere," Zidane called back.

They were running now, Kairi's voice sounding less like an echo and more like it came from nearby. Kairi remained silent for a little while but she eventually composed herself.

"That's why Cloud and I came here. We have to take him home to the other universe."

Tifa stumbled to a stop, clutching a wall for support. "Cloud's here?"

"Somewhere. We got split up."

Barret nodded to the others and they went on ahead without him and Tifa. Red lit another torch and that was when they saw Kairi, or rather they saw her hands that clutched her cell's bars. Zidane reached the cell first and he smiled at the pretty redhead within.

"Yup, definitely see why Sora likes you so much." He laughed when Kairi blushed redder than her hair. "Nice to meet you at long last. I'm Zidane."

"H-hello."

"Zidane this isn't the time!" Red hissed. "Open the door!"

Zidane's skilled hands made short work of the cell's old lock. Soon the door was screeching open and Kairi stepped out. "Thank you Zidane."

He nodded and introduced the others. "This here is Red. Don't let his attitude fool you – he's only sixteen."

"Zidane!"

"And the little one is Yuna."

Yuna grabbed Kairi's hand. "It's wonderful to meet you! Sora told me about you. He said you were really special to him and that you'd be really mad at him if you knew he slept for three days straight – which he did! Three whole days. I was so bored!"

Kairi blinked, not sure what to make of the child's words but liking her immediately. She cocked her head with a smile. "I'll make sure to tell him off."

Yuna grinned and swung both their arms. "Good! I think he'll listen to you more than me."

"Oh don't you worry Yuna. Sora knows better than to ignore me."

"You should tie his hair in bunches! It always worked for me!"

"Really? That's such a great idea!"

The girls giggled, instant best friends. Tifa and Barret approached. Zidane introduced the pair, earning a punch in the arm from Barret. "I ain't an outta control gun-wielding maniac!"

Tifa ignored the pair and stepped up to Kairi. "We'll find Sora. We know he's here."

Kairi made the connection easily. "Don't worry, we'll find Cloud too. He's here somewhere I'm sure."

"Let's get moving then," Tifa said, her lips twitching into a hopeful smile.

They carried on up the hallway. Zidane and Red took the lead, the pair managing to get along without teasing one another. In the middle of the group Yuna was telling Kairi all the stories she could think of in a quiet but excited voice. Tifa listened from behind, adding her own comments every so often to Yuna's tales. Barret brought up the rear, looking back occasionally to make sure nothing was creeping up behind them.

"Using Slowga is so much fun!" Yuna was saying. "People move like this," and she mimicked slow motion running. "That's how I tied Sora's hair in bunches. Tifa's got photos, haven't you?"

"Yep. Next time we'll have to use Stop on him so we can put him in a dress too."

"Slowga and Stop. I wish I knew those spells. I only really know the basics…"

Tifa passed Kairi a green orb. "It's Materia. The spell is contained within. You simply have to concentrate and you'll be able to cast Stop." She closed Kairi's fingers over the Time Materia. "I'm sure you'll make good use of it."

"Are you sure? We've only just met and…"

"Kairi you told me Cloud came with you. I couldn't have heard better news."

The girl nodded. She understood. "Thank you." She slipped it into a pouch on her harness. "If we have to fight the Heartless I'll use it. I lost my hammer."

"Hammer?" Tifa repeated. She turned back. "I'll be back with it."

Up ahead Red and Zidane had reached a doorway. Zidane pushed it open with his Ultima weapon held ready for a fight. There was nothing, just a spiralling stone stairwell with windows lining the wall. The air was freezing, breath steaming in the air as Zidane and Red sighed in relief. No Heartless. That was good. The others arrived.

Zidane regarded Kairi curiously. He pointed at her weapon. "Where the hell were you hiding that?"

"Tifa found it."

"Oooh yeah, we went past it didn't we." Zidane nodded. "Cute and she fights. Kairi you have got it all."

Tifa cuffed him upside the head and told Kairi to ignore him. She took the lead again, eager to begin exploring the higher levels of the castle. Cloud was up there somewhere. She had to find him. The others followed her single-file, the stairwell too narrow for them to walk side by side.

When the ghostly Heartless began chasing them from behind they couldn't stand and fight. Barret reached out and plucked Yuna off her feet, placing the girl on his shoulders. "Run!" He hollered at the group. "Don' stop 'til you can get offa these stairs!"

"Got it!" Tifa yelled back and upped her speed so the others could run behind her faster as well.

Kairi ran as fast as she could as well. She barely knew these people at all but already she trusted them with her life. There was no way they were working against her, trying to trick her with stories of Sora; she could feel it in her heart. Thinking of him reminded her how close she was to seeing him. Her heart soared with hope and joy, allowing her legs to run faster despite the mounting aching within her thighs.

"Anything?" Zidane called up to Tifa.

"No! I don't know where this leads to."

"None of us do."

"Stop being funny and save your breath!" Tifa shot back. "There are a lot of Heartless behind us!"

Tifa was right. The Heartless weren't just coming up from the dungeons below. They were pulling themselves out the walls. That was when they started coming from up ahead as well. The group had no choice now. They had to fight if they were going to make it through.

"Forget the ones behind us," Red said. "Just keep going forward and do not stop."

Barret aimed his gun. "Hold on Yuna."

He started firing as Tifa's fists pounded into the Heartless, knocking them into the air for the others to pick off with either magic or bullets. Zidane and Kairi didn't fight, both of them staying on guard to use items or magic to heal their comrades. Kairi wanted to help by using Stop on the Heartless coming up from behind but she knew now wasn't the time to experiment with Materia. Instead she let Yuna cast Slowga on them, the little girl's magic making the Heartless creep rather than bolt up the stairs behind the group.

"Tifa switch with me!" Zidane called.

She did so and Zidane powered ahead of her, pushing the Heartless back with jabs from his weapon. It was only when he ran up the walls that he was able to get the most out the Ultima weapon, turning it rapidly and cutting swathes through the crowd.

"Jes' like a monkey!" Barret sniggered from the back.

"I'll get you for that!" Zidane yelled back, flipping over to the other wall and taking down yet more Heartless.

Kairi ran past Tifa just as Zidane back-flipped and landed on the stairs. Like Zidane she twirled her weapon to take out the Heartless in single blows. The hammer swung at her side before sweeping out in front of her body, first in a horizontal arc before she held it with both hands and spun it in rapid circles. Anything that tried to hit her lost a limb. She switched to her left hand just as a door came into sight.

"We're out!" She cheered, clearing the final Heartless and smashing the door down.

The door had opened up into a hallway. They were high up in the castle, the ceiling to floor windows revealing panoramic views of the castle and the grounds that surrounded it. The noise of Barret's last volley echoed loudly. Once he was through the door he slammed it shut. He needn't have bothered – the Heartless were able to pass right through it.

They started running again, the air whistling through their ears as they headed down the hallway to who knew where.

Sora landed in the snow next to Ansem's prone body. The courtyard was a small square, dominated by a withered tree and a frozen pond. All around them glass doors stood shut. Sora looked down at Ansem. The man's eyes were wide open, the iris' trembling. Blood was dribbling down the corners of his mouth. Shards of glass had pierced Ansem's body, sticking out of his chest and coated in dark blood. But he got back up, pulling himself to his feet by grabbing the dead tree that stood over him and using it for leverage. The Soul Eater reappeared. Would he fight with it or use it as a walking cane? Sora's complacency cost him. Ansem planted the Soul Eater and swung himself around, kicking Sora in the side and sending him flying. He smacked into one of the castle's walls, the Oathkeeper flying from his hands. He fell to the snow, his vision fading to grey. The coldness seeping into his body made his wounds sting all the more. It was the only thing that kept him awake. Coughing to make his lungs work Sora painfully dragged himself back to his feet. He spotted the Oathkeeper lying in the snow several metres away. He had to get it. He wouldn't use Oblivion.

Ansem was already attacking. Sora jumped over a low slash and cartwheeled freehanded when Ansem swung the Soul Eater back the way it had come. Pain jerked through Sora's ankles when he landed the move, the coldness of the air unforgiving on his joints. Nevertheless he was closer to the Keyblade and he had to keep moving towards it. Ansem was feeling the pain of his injuries. His attacks were slower and less powerful. If Sora had been at full strength finishing the fight off would have been easy but he was tired and hurt. Ansem tried to behead Sora but the boy ducked underneath the slicing attack. Ansem thought fast and grabbed his weapon with both hands, ramming into Sora's back. Sora cried out, feeling the pressure building on his spine. Ansem reached out and grabbed Sora, pulling the boy off his feet and throwing him onto his back. Sora didn't have time to stand. The Soul Eater's shaft landed on his chest and Ansem began to push. Sora felt his ribs bruising. It wouldn't be long before they cracked and broke. If that happened Sora's lungs would be pierced and he'd drown in his own blood. Between Ansem and the ground Sora could feel his body being crushed. He couldn't breathe. What could he do? If he used Oblivion…

…NO!

Then it had to be magic and it had to be enough to finish Ansem off. Sora closed his eyes and reached deep into his heart where his magic rested. He knew what the spell looked like. He imagined it over and over until he could feel the power building in his veins. With nothing to focus the energy Sora didn't know if he could make it work but he was out of options. He pulled his legs up and planted them on Ansem's chest. With the last breath left in his chest Sora let out a snarl as he shoved Ansem back. Then the magic blasted out of his veins, Holy's light whiter than the snow. The power wrenched Sora up, his back arching off the ground. He heard glass smashing. Through the blinding light he caught sight of a dark shape falling backwards. After that Sora had to close his eyes – if he didn't he knew Holy's white light would burn his eyes out.

Cloud disembowelled the last Heartless and stood still so he could catch his breath. Then he was running down the tunnel Kairi had disappeared into. He realised in the meagre light that it was sloping upwards to a doorway. It was from the doorway that the light was creeping in. Cloud realised Kairi must have come this way and left the door open. He pushed through and found himself standing behind a cracked pillar in a gigantic hallway. He stepped past it. His unnaturally blue eyes went wide when he saw Riku pinned beneath the chandelier. That didn't make sense. How was Riku here? Had he somehow followed Cloud and Kairi here? Cloud's grip on his weapon tightened though. There were Heartless everywhere, sticking out the walls like bad taxidermy experiments. They watched but didn't attack. Cloud closed in on Riku, his instincts alert. Something was wrong. Their eyes met. Or, rather, Riku looked at Cloud's eyes with one dead eye and one gaping socket. Now Cloud knew why he felt so uneasy. Riku was dead – dead and still moving. The chandelier trembled as Riku began to push it away, chunks of metal ripping free of his body with foul cracking, slopping sounds. There wasn't a drop of blood. Riku grabbed the chandelier and threw it as though it were made of paper and not a ton of metal. Cloud raised his weapon and cleaved it in two before it could hit him. The air grew cold as a number of the ghostly Heartless pulled themselves out the walls. They didn't stop to fight Cloud but instead fled into the castle, followed closely by the regular Heartless. Riku and Heartless of a breed Cloud had never seen before remained. Was Riku controlling them? Cloud didn't think so – the Heartless were looking at him with almost the same rabid hunger they regarded Cloud with. But that was the last meandering thought Cloud had time for. Riku flew at him, fists raised to fight. Cloud's sword blocked the punch, Riku's knuckles making the metal ring. Cloud shoved him off and began attacking. Riku flipped out the way, dodging every attack Cloud threw at him. Cloud knew the kid was going to put up one hell of a fight – he was definitely capable of it if he was carrying that many injuries and still moving. Cloud knew it was going to take a lot to stop Riku. He didn't know how he would tell Kairi that he had had to kill one of her best friends but Cloud knew that with an eye like that Riku was no longer human.

Sora opened his eyes as soon as it was safe to do so. Aside from the falling snow everything was silent. He stumbled to his feet and barely managed to stay up. He felt almost as drained as he had been after first using Ultima. He shook his head to clear the fog and then went to retrieve Oathkeeper. Once it was in his hand Sora turned to the broken glass. He slowly went back inside, finding himself a long hallway. He saw Ansem lying on the floor up ahead, his body resting on the tatty red carpet and his head twisted against the wall. Sora approached slowly, hand flexing in case he had to call the Keyblade back. Only when he got up close to Ansem did Sora fully accept that the man was dead. His head had almost turned right around. Besides, if that hadn't convinced Sora when Ansem's body began to sink into the floor he knew he didn't have to worry any more. Sora sank to his knees.

It was over.

It was finally over.

 _You'd like that…_

"Wouldn't you?"

Sora turned sharply and looked up the hallway. A figure walked out the darkness. Sora's cry echoed for so long he thought maybe he was still gasping. He couldn't look away from the newcomer's face.

 _I wonder, Sora, will you know I'm there?_

His shadow, his shadow, shot him a malevolent grin.

"This place is special. We both know that." The hooded man, identical in height to him, walked a slow circle around him on the ice. "The difference is I know everything there is to know regarding where we now stand in your dream and you still know nothing."

The dark figure…

…was walking toward him…

He looked into the shadows and for a brief, almost intangible moment, saw something in the hidden eyes, something he recognised as…

"Me?"

"What sky do you see?"

"Black. Empty. It's all I have."

"Why don't you stop what you're doing?"

"To think that all along you thought it was Ansem!"

The figure stepped out the shadows and confirmed Sora's dreams.

He was staring at himself.


	57. Chapter 57

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Fifty-Seven

There were words to be said. Sora knew that. There were words a-plenty screaming around his jumbled mind. Sora was struggling to find his voice, feeling as though everything had been taken from him by the figure who was standing ahead of him, an amused look on his shaded faced.

Sora swallowed hard and spoke. "B-But how are you… A-Ansem was…"

"I want to get one thing through that skull of yours. It'll be hard but get it straight. In this universe Ansem worked for me. He was just a decoy. I knew watching you like this would be too much fun to pass up."

"What?"

"Yeah, that's it. Hm, is that too childish for you? It shouldn't be a surprise you know. We know who we are."

Sora's other self was dressed lazily in baggy black trousers, a white shirt with a hooded black jacket and a loose grey tie. His feet were clad in boots. His hair was darker and heavier, hanging over his midnight blue eyes. He regarded Sora with some amusement. "Question?"

"Y-You're me?"

"More or less, yeah."

Him, him, he was looking at himself. Where had the mirror gone? He had to stop thinking. It was like stepping outside himself twice over and becoming someone else entirely.

The question was ludicrous but Sora asked anyway. "What should I call you?"

"My name is Sora."

Sora laughed giddily. "I'm not calling you that."

"No of course you won't. But I will reclaim the name. For now I suppose Fallen will have to do."

Sora found himself laughing again, the sound bordering on hysterical. "Another me did all this. Me." When he tried to recall everything that had happened to him and those around him, his world began to spin. He stumbled to the side, his shoulder connecting with the wall. His legs alone couldn't hold him up. "I did it."

"Yes, another you. Me. You created a lot of things when you used the Dark Keyblade in Hollow Bastion," Fallen commented, patting his chest. "Was she worth it?" Sora didn't answer. Fallen went on with a sneer. "You're really quite lucky I'm the one who called you first. The others may not have been so nice."

"Others?" Sora repeated weakly.

"Oh, sorry. Too much information hm?"

Sora tried to stop his thoughts from sliding out of control. It was so hard. So much had happened, more than he could fully remember. So many places…

Brighthelmston, that other Hollow Bastion, Traverse Town, yet another Hollow Bastion, the Coliseum, Agrabah, Atlantica, Hollow Bastion again, Monstro, Deep Jungle, Wonderland, London, Neverland, Halloween Town, Hollow Bastion again, Midgar, the Lifestream, Northern Crater, Alexandria, Lindblum, the Iifa Tree, Besaid, Zanarkand, the Calm Lands, Atlantica for the final time, the Coliseum, Traverse Town, Destiny Islands and then here, to this.

Time stretched out until the beginning of it all, the beginning in Brighthelmston so long ago, seemed like a past life. Sora didn't want to remember it all. Somehow merely recalling everything that had happened, the triumphs and the failures, was like living all those moments again in a single heartbeat. There was so much to grasp. He tried to summarise. That wasn't wise. When he simplified it down to its most basic truth his mind threatened to shut down entirely.

"I did this to myself."

Fallen crossed his arms. "Yes. After all, that voice in your head was yours."

Atlantica…

"N-no!"

But it was true, all true. Sora was Fallen and Fallen was Sora. His mind slipped into shock.

"I tried everything to make you just give in but you're stronger than I thought. Every challenge I threw up seemed to fail. You're far too persistent. But then Atlantica presented a perfect opportunity. I almost wished I tried that sooner. Although I do need a few worlds for all the Fallen to live on. One world gets a bit boring after a while. Ha, we know that best of all, don't we? Still, I'm sure I could've found a few others for you to destroy. Destiny Islands can go. I'm never going back there."

Sora hadn't noticed but the Fallen was suddenly standing in front of him, his hand reaching out and dipping into Sora's pocket. He couldn't possibly grasp what was happening. His head was too full to take on any further puzzles.

"You won't miss it," Fallen told him, stepping away with something in his hand. "You refused to use it after Atlantica after all."

Fallen had Oblivion. Sora didn't have a chance to comment. The Keyblade lashed out, sending him rolling up the hall. He winced every time the two Materia orbs in his pocket dug into his thigh. Eventually Sora came to a stop. Exhaustion and shock kept him down. Fallen placed a foot on his shoulder.

"Why?" Sora asked without lifting his head. "Why are you doing this?"

"It isn't just me. You've been trying to rip all of this apart."

Fallen foolishly gave Sora strength. Rip it apart? Yes. That had to be the thing to do. There couldn't be another him! Sora wanted to fight back but he couldn't. He found himself being kicked backwards. He slammed into a set of doors he hadn't seen before and they flew open. Sora rolled backwards, eventually coming to a stop on his stomach. The new flares of pain began to pull him out of his tempestuous thoughts. He placed his hands flat on the ground, ready to push himself up. "That's it huh? You're just gonna kill me? You owe me answers!"

Fallen yanked him up by his hoodie. Sora's feet dangled in the air. That was when Sora noted they were standing in the castle's throne room. Old flags bearing the royal insignia remained, but they were torn and shredded. Light shone in from the skylights above. Compared to the other parts of the castle Sora had seen, this place was positively bright.

"Answer me!" Sora demanded. Maybe if he forced Fallen to talk his own mind would calm down and begin to comprehend.

"I told you before. This universe is mine. The Heartless and the Keyholes are mine and when I'm done with you both the Keyblades will belong to me as well. Because of you I can't leave this place. I will make it perfect."

"Perfect?" Sora laughed in Fallen's face. "You call this perfect? There are frozen worlds and Heartless everywhere. Then there are people like Metsu and Yuki. All your friends are dead! I killed them!" Oathkeeper appeared and he broke Fallen's grip. Back on his own feet Sora held himself ready to attack. "What's perfect about any of that?"

Fallen shrugged. "Our definitions of perfect are very different. Frozen worlds and Heartless don't worry me. That's what I want. And as for my so-called friends I don't care about any of them."

"How can you not?"

"I don't have a heart," Fallen smirked, delighting in Sora's inability to comprehend. "Emotions that come from elsewhere are nothing but troublesome."

"Huh?"

"Think of it, just think, of living life without pain! You wouldn't have to feel anything ever again. You'd just be living life as best you could without the trouble of emotions. That's what I'm creating here in this universe – life without hurt for all of those who have become a Fallen. We don't have hearts but our memories cause us pain. Sora, I'm going to make it better for everyone! Why can't you see that?" Fallen glared at him. "Your being here threatens all my plans. You're stronger than me just because you have a heart. With you gone everything will finally work out."

Fallen was coming at him again, Oblivion held up to attack. Sora caught the blow with Oathkeeper, feeling the weight of the strike shooting up his arms. Fear was crawling through him. He knew he was exhausted whereas his opponent was clearly refreshed. Sora had absolutely no magic left. Holy had taken it all. He grunted as he pushed Fallen back. Sora ignored his other self as he began to laugh. Sora pretended he couldn't hear Fallen telling him he was going to lose.

Sora could accept his other self's plans. When he thought about it Sora knew that had the roles been reversed maybe he would've done something, anything, to forget the pain of leaving everything he knew behind. But that didn't mean Fallen's actions were all right. Why was he doing it? "What is a Fallen?"

"We are what's left when people in the Light Universe lose their hearts. Only the strong become Fallen. The weak are simply Heartless ghosts, freezing instead of stealing."

Sora shoved Fallen away and tried to attack. Fallen deflect the blow easily. Too easily. Sora knew he was in serious trouble.

"When I arrived here I was devastated." Fallen kicked Sora to the ground. Sora didn't try to get back up; he knew he needed to gather his strength. Fallen looked at him, old pain lingering in his dark eyes. "I had all my memories from before but I woke up here with nothing of my old life. And I knew that something huge was missing." He laughed bitterly. "You never notice your heart beating until it's no longer there." Sora looked away. He could imagine that only too well, but he'd been the lucky one out of the pair. Sora couldn't stop his own hand from slipping to his chest. Fallen noticed, made a rude sound but carried on. "I knew I'd never see my home the way I remembered it. I was either going to die or I was going to take control and make my life worth living again."

"So you did all this."

"Exactly."

"Why?"

Sora had to push his way past a kick before he got his answer. "Because together, with the right worlds at our disposal, the Fallen will be able to feel like they belong. They will destroy those like you, those who have hearts, and live on worlds free of emotion." Oblivion connected with one of Sora's older wounds, knocking off the scab and inviting the blood to resume flowing. "I will replace you."

"No. You won't." Sora threw all his strength behind Oathkeeper and forced Fallen back towards the simple stone throne. "You don't have the right!"

"Yes I do." Fallen parried all of Sora's swings. "This is the In-Between Universe. You do not belong here. The moment you came your universe and mine began a struggle. When I win In-Between will replace Light. You and everyone like you in all the universes will cease to exist!"

Despite the Heartless Tifa couldn't take her mind off Cloud. Knowing he was somewhere in the castle had awoken in her a desperation that was clawing its way out of her heart and racing her spine in endless loops. She knew she had a duty to stay with the others but it was getting harder and harder to put Cloud out of her mind.

"Red?" she called.

"What?"

She hurried to his side so only he would be able to hear her request. He nodded and concentrated as best he could on the Scan Materia while running forward. He didn't say anything for a single minute but Tifa managed to keep silent.

Red eventually answered her. "All I know is that aside from the huge group of Heartless coming up behind us there are even more on the lower levels. There's a chance Cloud's down there." He met her gaze. "Are you going?"

She sighed. "No, of course not."

"If you want to…"

"No. We're safer all of us together."

Barret suddenly let out a loud curse. "More Heartless up ahead!" he yelled.

The group came to a stop. They didn't have a choice. They were going to have to fight.

"Let's do this three by three," Zidane said. "One magic user per group."

"I've got the Restore Materia," Tifa said.

"Okay. Tifa you stay with Kairi and Red. Take the ones coming up from behind. Barret, Yuna and I'll take the ones up ahead."

The two groups broke apart without any further words. Moments later the air was ringing with the clash of weapons and tingling with magic.

Sora ducked and almost fell over, the speedy movement making his dizzy head turn loops. Fallen capitalised, bringing the hilt of Oblivion down on Sora's back and once again leaving the boy face down on the ground. Sora pushed himself up yet again, jumping back and avoiding a blow aimed at his stomach. Sora forced his heavy body into a series of attacking moves. He tried to knock Oblivion out of Fallen's hands and that was when Sora scored his first, albeit pathetic, hit. Fallen didn't drop the Keyblade but holding it clearly caused him a great deal of pain – a feeling he'd already expressed his deep dislike of.

Sora blinked heavily and moved forward. Soon he stopped thinking. He just moved, attacking every time there was an opening and defending when Fallen fought back. They moved back and forth across the throne room, never staying in one place for long. Sora swung the Keyblade out but Fallen somersaulted over it. Sora threw himself to the side, just about avoiding a kick to the face. Oathkeeper spun around and came up to attack.

"You're not gonna win Sora."

Yes. He. Was.

Don't be stupid. You can barely see straight.

That voice back in his head was a shock. His pause was enough for Fallen to grab him.

There was seething anger in Fallen's face. Sora glared back. He refused to be afraid of his mirror image. Fallen pulled him into a headlock. "You are going to pay for my existence."

Sora didn't know why he laughed. Outright shock, horror, revulsion and terror would have been safer options but no, no, he chose to laugh. "Yeah? And how is that my fault? You told me before you're making what you can out of this life." Sora winced as Fallen's arm tightened around his neck. He could still breathe but the grip hurt nonetheless. "I created you. Fine. I'm sorry but I did what I had to do. I don't regret it. But you chose all this! I didn't tell you to."

Fallen threw Sora and sneered when he crashed into the sidewall of the chamber. "Why can't you see that I am you?"

"You aren't me," Sora retorted, not trying to push himself up this time. "You're outside me."

 _No I'm not._

"Yes you are!"

"Your body was mine once. Remember that?"

 _The prison below the ice._

"That was…"

"I thought, back then, that I could simply take your body and make it mine again. But I forgot about the pain I would feel in it, inhabiting my own body that still has its heart. I'm just a consciousness you see. Emotions don't come from it naturally. They're just remembered. Real feeling is from the heart. Now I know how awful that is. All those stupid feelings rising up and making you sick. So I'll stick with this fake shell and kill you instead." Fallen stood over Sora, Oblivion poised to deliver the final blow. "Funny thing about me by the way. Those remembered feelings are what called the Keyblade to me, and for Oblivion the darker the better. I've saved the good ones for Oathkeeper, don't worry. I'll take care of it for Kairi. I'll give it to mine. She's always going on about her stupid charm anyway." Oblivion pressed against Sora's back. "You're not needed anymore."

"I still don't get it," Yuffie complained as she downed her third sweet tea. Everyone had noticed her increased jitters but decided not to comment. "You're saying that we could've been gone from our real worlds and real lives for way longer or even way shorter than we think 'cause all that stuff about Hollow Bastion isn't real anyway?"

Merlin nodded. "Yes, but I do believe I explained it in far greater clarity."

"How's that possible? Time's time! It doesn't change!"

"Oh changing time is remarkably simple."

"No it isn't! Time is the one thing no one can tamper with!"

"I do so hate to shatter a child's illusions…"

Leon's heavy hand restrained Yuffie.

"…but time is just another thread that can be easily tangled up and split into new strands. Compressing it or moving back and forth is perfectly doable for a skilled magician."

"Can you do it?" Riku asked out of curiosity. He had been following the conversation attentively but silently. This was the first time he had spoken since returning to the library. "Could you send us back and forth in time?"

"Yes but while it is simple it's also a very dangerous thing to tamper with. No one messes with time unless they know exactly what they are doing. The consequences for damaging time are severe. Fates worse than death I should warn you."

Riku smiled. "Don't worry, I wasn't planning on dabbling."

"Doesn't make sense," Yuffie declared. "It's all insane. What you're saying Merlin isn't real."

"Well I'm sure one day we shall see." Merlin turned to Leon. "Haven't you ever suspected things weren't all as they seemed?"

The man didn't answer verbally. He didn't need to. His eyes gave him away.

"You see? And I'm sure the feeling has only grown stronger since the time Sora and the Keyblade left this universe for the one In-between. Without them, the light has lost its focus. Everything is likely to change."

Before further questions could be asked the library doors groaned open. Goofy, looking exhausted and pale, stepped into the library. He held one hand to his bandaged side and quickly caught his breath.

"I heard Donald was out there."

Riku filled him in. Goofy looked increasingly ill as Sora's friend told him what had happened.

"I dunno 'bout alla you guys but I got a real bad feelin' growing in my chest," Goofy said as he took a seat. "Somethin' ain't right." Pale and sweating Goofy looked worryingly frail. "Ya'll better be ready."

Riku nodded. "You're right. Something's coming."

At the last moment Sora pulled himself forward and slid out from beneath Oblivion. The Keyblade's tip drew a long bloody gash down his spine but he wasn't dead and that was what mattered. Oathkeeper in his hand, Sora stood up. A second later Fallen was attacking. The fight was on again, the pair moving rapidly across the chamber as they traded blows. Sora was dredging energy out of somewhere. He didn't stop to think about it as he back-flipped over low blow. He had to keep going.

There were no more words to be shared. Fallen had told Sora everything he needed to know and all Sora had to do now was not die.

Anger fuelled Fallen's attacks. Sora was hardly at peace but the fury he was facing made something quail inside him. Oblivion's blows were coming faster and if they lacked power, the attacks came fast enough to keep Sora on the defensive.

Actually Sora was less on the defensive and more on the getting beaten side of things. His arms were turning to jelly beneath the blows.

Good thing he still had that determination backing him up. Fallen had no right to replace him.

Suddenly Fallen was moving into Ars Arcanum. Sora had never been on the receiving end of his own ability. Now he knew why it always worked. He couldn't escape the blows. One after another hit him before Fallen began to move into the finishing blows. Sora was still standing, bleeding but alive. He couldn't dodge but he could still fight. Did he have the strength to break through Ars Arcanum? With no energy to use his own abilities Sora had to rely on timing.

He swept Oathkeeper up and caught Oblivion. Blood raced down his arms but he ignored it and pushed Fallen back. The energy that was keeping Sora going fluctuated but he couldn't let Fallen know that. Oathkeeper behind his head, Sora jumped up and brought his weapon down fast. The blow caught Fallen's head, a huge gash blooming black blood.

Fallen's hand swiped the blood away but more rushed to replace it. He laughed emptily. "I guess head wounds still bleed the most when you're not fully human," Fallen commented. He licked his hand. "Still tastes bad as well."

Sora managed to inflict a few other wounds, the blood always black. He was pushing Fallen backwards towards the thrones, hoping that maybe he'd have the chance to trap his other self in a corner and deliver a disabling blow. But for now he had to focus on keeping his strength up, attacking with enough power to keep Fallen from regaining the upper hand. It seemed to be working. Hooking the Keyblade into Fallen's side, ignoring the other's cry of pain, Sora wrenched him around and sent him rolling head over heels. Fallen's head cracked against ground, leaving a splash of blood. Eventually he came to a stop by the thrones, black blood seeping over the off-white marble floor and forever staining it.

Fallen didn't get back up. This was Sora's chance. Breathing heavily, he crouched down and held Oathkeeper ready. He caught his breath. Sora charged. He spun the Keyblade around, catching Fallen as it went up and then again as he flicked his wrist and sent Oathkeeper back on its arc. Fallen grunted but seemed otherwise unconcerned with the deep, oozing wound that stretched from his thigh to his armpit. Kicking him hard, Sora made Fallen roll over.

He didn't like what he found.

Two mad eyes threaded with blood, and a grin drenched in black greeted Sora. Oathkeeper swung around to attack but he was too slow. Fallen held out a hand and Dark Firaga threw Sora backwards. He somehow kept his grip on Oathkeeper but the shock of smacking into the ground stunned him. Before he could recoup his senses Fallen was there, plummeting out the sky and stabbing Oblivion's tip into Sora's shoulder.

The scream of pain drew itself out from the very depths of Sora's lungs. He couldn't tell when he fell silent. The echoing refused to stop. Fallen twisted Oblivion's tip, eliciting another cry. The pain was like nothing, sharp and stabbing, spreading as though his body was tearing itself apart from that single point. He breathed and blood gushed out.

"N-no!" Fear, agony and anger made him say it. It couldn't end like this!

"It won't kill you," Fallen said. If Sora felt any relief, what his other self said next quickly removed it. "Death will feel a whole lot worse."

Cloud's massive sword hooked under Riku's left arm and sliced through the bone and skin. The limb flew off. The stump was bloodless and Riku didn't seem to care. He fought on. Cloud wasn't surprised. He had quickly learned, as Sora had, that Riku couldn't die twice.

Cloud knew he had to move on. The flight of all the other Heartless told him something big was happening elsewhere. He had to get there.

Riku came for him again. Cloud was ready. Blade Beam kept Riku back, the glowing energy tearing into the boy's dead body and revealing bone beneath. Riku still fought on, his foot kicking out only to be caught on Cloud's sword. Twisting and kicking, Riku spun around but still none of his blows found their target. How could they when Cloud's sword cut so effortlessly though his body? Soon all Riku had left were his legs. Still he fought on, the effort useless and suicidal. Cloud threw Riku back, the boy's ribs audibly snapping on impact with the ground but still, stupidly, he climbed back up. It was sickening. Who had turned a child into this? Cloud's mind was made up. He crossed the distance between them and finished the job. One almighty swing of his sword cut through Riku's knees and left him on the ground, a useless pile that refused to bleed. Cloud spared little sorrow.

"I'm sorry."

Cloud forced the sword into the wall. Yanking it out he caused a torrent of masonry to tumble as well, all of it pinning Riku down. His lifeless eye looked up at Cloud. There was nothing Riku could do now. He was trapped and unable to move.

Cloud turned away. There was nothing else to be done. He had to get going.

The Heartless, far ahead as they were, had made it easy to follow them. They had left a trail of destruction, broken furniture and glass everywhere. Cloud followed it, picking off anything that had stayed behind to fight.

When he found the largest crowd of Heartless, several floors above the main entrance, they had blocked a hallway. Cloud didn't have much time to pause, but he was certain he could hear the sounds of fighting up above. The noises of weapons clashing, magic casting and feet running were unmistakable, even if there was a ceiling in the way.

Cloud held his sword up. It would be a while before he reached whoever lay ahead. In front of him stood the largest, darkest Heartless he had ever seen. Magical energy rippled across its skin. Cloud caught the powerful Thunder spell on his blade but his booted feet skidded backwards. Thankfully the hall was wide enough for Cloud to fight in but it was still going to be hard. Countless ghosts and regular Heartless surrounded the Dark Heartless. With the magic bombarding him, Cloud knew he would have to take down the most powerful before picking off the others. So as he pushed forward Cloud ignored the cold and the scrabbling attacks. But when he took his first punch from the Dark Heartless, Cloud found that the lesser Heartless weren't quite so willing to ignore him. Cloud pulled his short sword out its slot in his larger weapon and swung both ahead of him, killing anything that took a direct hit. The surviving Heartless fell back, giving Cloud time to climb to his feet. His long sword swung out, up, right and left. If any escaped the Buster Sword, his shorter weapon took them out. Cloud took down all the Heartless guarding the most powerful. He was about to attack the Dark Heartless when Ultima was suddenly surrounding him, the magic shrieking and blasting into him. Something gave way beneath him. He left his stomach behind as the floor gave way beneath him. When the green light faded, Cloud found himself two floors below where he had just been.

He was surrounded before he stood up, the ghosts freezing the air. Breath pluming ahead of him, Cloud didn't stop to take stock of his injuries. He was fighting again, his sword making such quick work of all the Heartless he had a chance to cast Cure3 on himself before the next wave jumped down. He looked up and saw the Dark Heartless preparing to jump. A grin twitched Cloud's lips. He hadn't had a fight like this in too long.

Kairi's hammer was making quick work of all the Shadows that came up from below. One blow was all it took. With the majority dealt with, she moved onto the Shadow's larger cousins who were far more powerful. Red's Scan Materia had labelled them Neo Shadows and they were clever, diving into the floor and running rapid circles around their intended targets to daze and confuse them. At any sudden moment they would shoot up and attack. Kairi's tactic was to move onto a new target as soon as the old one took to the floor. So far it was working, insofar as she had avoided serious injury. The downside meant nothing was dying fast enough. Kairi had back up though. She and Tifa were focusing on the grounded Heartless, leaving Red to leap up and attack the flying variety with his teeth and claws.

So far they had been lucky. They hadn't faced anything they couldn't handle. The other group were faring well too. Yuna's newest Slowga spell made the Heartless easy kills for Barret and Zidane. The road ahead was starting to look clearer.

"You should go and help Tifa and the others," Zidane told Barret when they had time to pause. "Take Yuna. I'll finish off this lot."

"Call if y'get in over ya head."

"I'll be fine."

Yuna was already casting Slowga over the other crowd of Heartless. Tifa called thanks but didn't stop. Now she and Kairi had the chance to take down some of the troublesome Neo Shadows. Red meanwhile was making quick work of the Wyverns above, using each Heartless as a springboard to the next. With the airborne Heartless dealt with, Red landed on the ground and aided Tifa and Kairi.

Barret had pushed past the Neo's and was firing on the ghosts lurking behind. Just when he thought he was getting the upper hand, two massive Defenders crashed through a hallway door. Barret's bullets pinged uselessly off the ugly shields.

Alerted by the sound, Tifa made sure Kairi and Red were all right before running to help Barret.

"Get 'em to turn around," Barret said as he cleared a path through the ghosts to the Defenders for Tifa.

"Got it."

Tifa ducked behind both the Defenders, her back exposed to the ghosts. A sudden blast of cold air was the only warning she got. Then a cold hand was reaching through her and clamping around her heart. Her cry died in her throat. No one heard her. Her whole body freezing, Tifa desperately gasped in a breath. Her mouth hung open and her first cry was barely more than a whisper. She focused. Something tugged.

No. NO!

Her cry, desperate, burst out. Everyone heard it. Barret was closest but pinned down by ghosts.

"Tifa!" Barret's yell alerted everyone.

No one else would make it on time. But magic would.

"Holy!"

Yuna single-handedly cleared out all the Heartless. Tifa fell to her knees. Barret made it to her side just as the next army came along. He helped Tifa to her feet, holding her while she gathered her strength. His gun took care of anything that tried to exploit her weakness.

"Let me know when y'ready." He shot down a Neo Shadow looking to come for them. "We ain't got time to hang about. Sorry."

Tifa nodded, her skin still shock pale. "I'll be okay."

Zidane, Kairi and Red continued to fight. Kairi fought her way to Yuna's side, keeping the little girl safe while she drank an Elixir. The hammer smacked Heartless, these ones Soldiers, left and right before throwing them to the floor and finishing them off.

"Thanks," Yuna said.

"You okay?"

"Tired. Very tired."

"Just. Hang. In. There," Kairi encouraged while pounding a Bandit that had gotten too close for comfort. "You're. Doing. Great!"

 _Great won't get her anywhere._

Kairi frowned, her hammer finally finishing off the Bandit. "Who said that?"

 _I did._

Kairi looked at Yuna but the little girl was bent over, hands resting on her knees as she caught her breath. Barret was still helping Tifa recover, Red was dealing with a gathering of Wizards and Zidane was fighting an Invisible. There was no one else…

 _Aren't you paying attention? It's none of them. It's me._

"All of you, stop."

The Heartless, to everyone's complete disbelief, fell still and all stepped to the sides of the hall. A figure, slim and feminine, approached. When the light splayed over her, no one was as shocked as Kairi.

"That's interesting," Zidane commented, Ultima Weapon held behind him.

The other Kairi smirked. "Oh I'm more than interesting." She turned to Kairi.

 _Aren't I?_

"So… so… it's real." Everyone looked at the real Kairi. She stepped up to her other self, her weapon held ready to attack. "There's another Sora, isn't there?"

"Yes. There's another Riku as well but he's been taken care of, twice now in fact."

"Why are you…?"

Kairi was cut off by a scream. Her eyes went wide as her heart missed a beat. Her breath caught in her throat.

Her other self watched her dispassionately. "That's Sora by the way," she commented. Her lips twisted in a mockery of a smile when she saw Kairi's horror. "I imagine he's dying."

"I'll never let that happen!"

Kairi was running before the other had finished. No one tried to stop her. The other Kairi clapped and the Heartless stepped forward again.

"Deal with them," she told the hordes. "I've got to deal with her."

The Heartless parted to let the Fallen Kairi through. When they came together again Tifa, Barret, Red, Zidane and Yuna were cut off.

"Break through," Tifa said, standing shakily. "Whatever it takes, break through."

The pain jolted through Sora. It was as though parts of Oblivion had broken off and were forcing themselves deeper into his body, chewing through his veins and spreading until everything was just blood, blood that could run out of him.

 _I thought you hadn't come all this way just to die._

Sora's wide blue eyes locked onto Fallen's. His other self, a shadow falling over him, looked perfectly calm.

"There, there," Fallen said quietly. "It'll be over soon."

Soon meant now. Fallen ripped Oblivion free, blood spattering across Sora and the ground. Each shuddering breath brought blood out the wound. He didn't want to get up but he knew he had to. Fallen reached down and lifted him up. Sora locked his knees and managed to stay standing, even as the hand he held to his wound was coated with hot blood. He felt sick. He could feel the ragged edges of the wound beneath his fingers, knew if he poked it, his finger would sink into his own body through layers of skin and fat and…

Fallen kept a hand on Sora's shoulder. "You're looking a little pale." He almost sounded as though he cared.

He didn't care. He only knew pain. He only wanted to cause pain. He wanted to destroy everything.

Sora couldn't let that happen!

"Get off!"

With a growl, Sora knocked Fallen's hand away. Fallen opened his mouth to speak but Sora stopped him with a punch. Sora's head was spinning but he didn't stop. He couldn't yet, not until it was over. And it would be finished, he would make sure of it. He'd never asked for any of this. Sora had wanted to see other worlds, sure, but not at the cost of losing so much. His home, his family, his friends, his freedom… It all went wrong…

…Because Fallen was standing in front of him…

All the good things that happened, all his new friends, all of it just stopped being important when he was faced with another him, a him who thought hurting and killing others was okay. Having the Keyblade was one thing. It wasn't always fun but it was manageable. But all this extra stuff? It wasn't fair!

But he wasn't a child any more. Fairness didn't matter.

When he'd used the Dark Keyblade, there hadn't been another choice. He'd had to do it. What right did Fallen have to exist? What gave him the right to cause so many other people so much pain? He was a mistake! It wasn't meant to be this way!

"You shouldn't be here!"

 _But I am. What will you do about it?_

Sora punched again and again, the biting pain fuelling his rage. He knocked Fallen back, kicking when his arm no longer reached. It did barely any damage and it was tiring him out even more, but he didn't stop. He was bleeding blood and rage, dying while trying to kill. Unable to hold Oathkeeper, Sora fought the only way he could.

"You shouldn't exist!"

Sora kicked out. Fallen had had enough. He blocked Sora's leg and punched back, catching Sora's open wound. Sora fell back. Fallen grabbed his torn shirt and held him on his feet.

"I came from you! Everything I'm doing, I'm doing it because I am you."

"No, you aren't." It was hard for Sora to hold his head up but he did it. "We're separate. You have no right to do any of this!"

"Remember the rage we felt…"

"I felt!"

"…when Riku betrayed us and Donald and Goofy left too?"

"I wasn't angry! I was upset and hurt!"

"That's nice."

"Don't patronise me. Don't twist everything!"

"What am I twisting? You know as well as I that below all the sadness there was deep, burning anger."

"So? I thought about it for a second!"

"And in that second your personality split. I suppose it wouldn't have mattered but then you foolishly lost your own heart. I was created, and so were the other two."

Another two…? "It wasn't foolish! I'd do it again."

"Of course you would. Other than being in love with Kairi, you have a bizarre tendency towards self-sacrifice. I suppose if I kill you it'll still be self-sacrifice. Isn't life funny?"

Burning with rage, Sora kicked out but it was completely ineffectual. Fallen pushed his attack away as though it were a mere fly.

"You can't beat me. You did have a chance but I took it." Fallen tapped Sora's chest with Oblivion. "Are you ready?"

"For what?"

Oblivion faded away. Fallen grabbed Sora, yanking him forward and off his feet. Sora could feel all his adrenaline fading away. The edges of his vision were starting to crackle with grey sparks. Had it all been for nothing?

"Look up."

Sora did. They were standing beneath a glass skylight. Snow coated it but the grey sky was still there.

"It's fitting that you'll die in the place of your dreams, don't you think?"

"No." Sora's fists clenched tightly. He ignored the pain coursing through him. "I'm not going to…"

Someone else interrupted. "Sora!"

The ghosts were gone. All that remained between Cloud and the higher levels was the Dark Heartless. It had cast Ultima again but Cloud had been ready and countered with Meteor Rain. The attacks cancelled each other out. Cloud jumped up, landing back on the floor he had fallen through. The Dark Heartless hadn't expected it and was caught between trying to jump down and staying where it was. It caught itself uneasily in the hole, clinging onto the edge with huge, thick hands. Cloud's Buster Sword spun around to cut them off, but they were enhanced with magic and too strong even for Cloud's mighty weapon. He broke the skin, revealing veins like lines of red crystal beneath, but he couldn't get any further. He pulled the weapon out and parried a blow with his short sword.

Above him, the sound of the other battle had stopped. Muffled sounds, voices talking he realised, could be heard. He definitely had to get up there. Kairi had to be here somewhere and as strong as the girl had become lately, she wouldn't stand a chance against one of these Dark Heartless alone.

The creature was preparing another blast of Ultima. Cloud cursed and threw himself into a rapid series of slashes, hoping to delay the Heartless until it was dead. His swords one again, each blow shook the Heartless' mammoth body. Crystals, dark and blood red in colour, kept tumbling out the wound he had caused. Cloud focused an attack there, widening the wound so it bled faster. The Heartless fought back, swinging its huge arms and catching Cloud in the side. He stumbled but righted himself, attacking quickly to keep the monster too distracted to fight back.

The Heartless managed to cast a spell but the magic was far weaker than before, the Flare causing minimal burning where it touched Cloud's skin. He realised the crystallised blood was the source of its magical power. His attacks became heavy slashes. He thrust the sword as far as it would go into the Heartless' body before ripping tears in its skin. Crystals tumbled out of the Dark Heartless, its movements starting to falter.

When it crashed to the ground Cloud didn't stop to finish it off. The sound of fighting above him had returned, far more intense than before, louder, faster and definitely tinged with desperation. He had to get up there.

Heartless, the regular and ghostly varieties, tried to stop him. His swords, apart again, made easy work of them. They tried to block the twisting hallways but Cloud made it through, eventually finding a set of stairs behind a partially open door. Heartless were everywhere, coming out the floor, walls and smashing though the windows. If Cloud didn't move he'd be trapped, the Heartless taking up almost all the free space available.

He ran, his shorter sword the only weapon he had small enough to move in such confined space. The Heartless fell back, some dying and some far too strong to succumb to a single blow. He shivered as ghosts passed by him, the chill burrowing into him. He knocked several groping hands away. He didn't want to find out how it felt to have a ghost reach into his chest.

Cloud finally broke out of the stairwell, finding himself in a wide hallway packed with Heartless. From up ahead the noise of the other battle grew closer, voices finally filtering into Cloud's ears.

"It's no good! I gotta stop the ones coming up from behind!"

"I need you up front Zidane!" That voice! Hope lurched in Cloud's chest. Could it really be her? "Yuna, can you take care of it?"

"Yes, don't worry!"

Cloud frowned at the sound of an unfamiliar child's voice. Then magic, pure white in colour, almost blinded him. The Heartless up ahead all faded away. Cloud's path to the others was finally clear. Blinking through the brightness, Cloud saw a little girl fall forward. An older woman came for her.

"Tifa."

At first he couldn't tell if he'd spoken aloud, because she didn't react. Slowly, so slowly, as if speed would make his voice and his presence disappear, Tifa looked up. Their eyes met. She passed the child into the arms of a young man. Tifa walked forward slowly. She didn't want the moment to burst, didn't want it to shatter and become an unreal dream. The sounds of the fight still being waged ahead seemed to fade away. The closer she got, the clearer Cloud could see the tears standing out in her eyes.

"Is it you?" she whispered. "Is it really you?"

He didn't remember the last time joy had consumed his so fully. He holstered his swords and stepped forward. "Tifa." He realised he was smiling, really smiling, as his hand reached out to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "Yes. It's really me."

With a sob, Tifa fell into his arms. She held him as tight as she could, refusing to let go. If she did, he might go away again. "It's you!" she wept. "It's really you!"

His hand brushed over her hair. He held her close, just breathing in her presence. She had been gone so long, his light so dim, but now he could see her again and everything seemed right.

The cold of the Heartless faded from Tifa's body, the strength she found in Cloud wiping away her exhaustion and pain. It was him. After all these years, finally she was in his arms again, safe and warm. She blinked the tears away and his fingers brushed away the few that escaped her. Their eyes met, full of smiles.

Finally.

"I hate to break up this beautiful reunion…"

Cloud looked down. "Red?"

His four-legged friend grinned up at him. "It's been a long time."

"Yeah, and looks like you ain't changed at all."

Cloud looked over. "Barret, you're here too?"

"You're late kid."

Cloud's smile returned. "Yeah, well, I tried my best."

"Uh, I'm sure this is all really emotional for you all and that…" Cloud looked at the stranger, the blond teenager holding the exhausted girl in his arms. "But we have to get after Sora and Kairi before…"

Zidane didn't need to finish his sentence. They all felt it, a sudden snap in their hearts. Then came a scream, a girl's voice, Kairi's voice, torn with anguish.

"We have to go!" Zidane yelled. Yuna tiredly slid around until she sat on his back. "Come on!" He sprinted away, Yuna clinging on as tight as she could.

Tifa ran after Zidane. Cloud stayed by her side. Barret pushed on ahead with Red, the two of them keeping back any Heartless that tried to score a hit.

Something had happened, something bad.

It was all about to fall apart. They could feel it, everything hanging on a single point.

They had to find Sora.

The throne room's doors slammed open. Someone ran in. The pain went behind the swelling in his heart.

She ran in. Her. She was here! The real…

"K-Kairi?"

"Sora!"

"What a sweet reunion." Fallen sneered, turning so Sora could look sideways and see Kairi.

Kairi looked determined to do something but uncertain what exactly she could do. Whenever she looked at the other Sora her whole body seemed to twinge, as if Fallen's presence was causing her physical pain.

"The others are coming." The other Kairi, the Fallen Kairi, walked calmly into the throne room. "Maybe you should finish this."

"Yes, perhaps I should."

It all happened so fast. Kairi was running forward, her huge weapon held ready to strike. Her other self stepped in to stop her. Sora tried to move but he couldn't, pain and Fallen holding him still.

"Sora! Hold on!"

"Kairi, no! Run!"

"I won't leave you!"

Their eyes met.

 _It must be nice to see the one you love again. She's the last…sorry, second to last thing you'll see before you die._

Fallen punched Sora's gaping wound. He cried out in pain. His other self smirked.

"The end."

Sora was thrown upwards. He heard Kairi's wrenching cry. Then his back smashed into glass. Snow blinded him, his body arching backwards. He slammed into the roof. Everything hurt so much. Fallen landed lightly next to him. Sora didn't get up; he didn't have the strength to.

"Not going to fight me? I thought you didn't want to die."

Fallen lifted him again. Sora wavered drunkenly on his feet, taking two heavy punches to the face. His vision was blurring. No! Fight back! He lifted his arms to ward off a kick but it was pointless. His bones shuddered under the blow. He was lucky he didn't wind up with two broken arms. He skidded back in the snow, only to topple over. The wind was getting up, throwing the snow around and yanking at Sora's torn clothing. Was this what death felt like?

He didn't want to die.

He rolled over, forcing himself up on his one good hand and his knees. Oathkeeper was ready to come out, desperate to help. But Sora didn't think he had the strength to hold the Keyblade up, and he didn't want to risk losing it. So when Fallen came at him with Oblivion, Sora recklessly blocked the blow with his arm. He avoided serious injury by having his arm cut open. His arms were both wounded now, one to the point of uselessness and the other causing him waves of sickening pain.

He had to keep going.

Balancing on one leg, he pirouetted around, kicking Fallen in the head. Fallen laughed at the feeble blow, returning it with more power than Sora could hope to muster. Sora was in a nightmare, exhausted and moving so slowly, lacking any real power to save his own life. He fell again, a trail of blood marking his collapse.

Below him, Kairi was looking up hopelessly, desperate to follow Sora. Her other self smiled. The expression could have been a mirror image, if not for the Fallen girl's longer, darker hair and midnight blue eyes that held too many strange things.

"You want to go up there?"

Kairi held her hammer ready. "Tell me how!"

The doors behind them burst open. Kairi almost felt a wave of relief to see the others, and Cloud as well, came running in. But her concern for Sora was overwhelming.

"We have to get up there!" She cried, pointed to the broken skylight.

Faster than she would ever move herself, Kairi's shadow shot forwards with her hands outstretched. The blow caught Kairi's chest and suddenly she too was flying upwards, landing stunned in the cold snow.

Tifa turned to the others. "Let's move!"

Barret aimed his weapon at Fallen Kairi. "I'll keep 'er 'ere. You go!"

Cloud crouched down and made a stirrup with his hands. Tifa placed her foot there and on three Cloud boosted her jump high enough for her to reach the skylight. She pulled herself through.

Red was next, opting to climb up Cloud's back and jump on his own, his four legs powerful enough to get him to the sky.

Finally came the teenager Cloud didn't know. He'd set the little girl down behind the throne and come running back. "The name's Zidane by the way. Cloud right?"

"Yeah."

Zidane grinned. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

Zidane was soon on the roof. Cloud gathered his energy, made sure Barret was all right, and then jumped.

The scene on the roof was not pleasant. The snow was stained red, the blotches leading Cloud after the others who were already seeking Sora. There was so much blood. Would they find the boy alive?

When he found the others they were standing still, eyes locked onto the scene ahead of them. Sora, the real Sora, was sitting in a heap against the small brick wall that kept him from tumbling off the roof. His head was bowed, his hair falling over his face. He was bleeding so much it was hard to tell where it was all coming from. It was impossible to tell if he was still alive. Fallen stood between Sora and his friends, Oblivion held loosely in his hand.

Kairi ran forward. Tifa, Red, Zidane and Cloud followed. They were all too slow. Fallen knew what the girl intended to do. He would never allow it.

Besides, two Kairis were unnecessary.

No one thought to look at Sora. He had watched everything. He was watching Kairi run to her death.

No.

 _No._

"NO!"

Oathkeeper appeared. Somewhere, somehow, Sora found enough strength to use Strike Raid. Oathkeeper's tip buried itself in Fallen's back. He stopped. Kairi stopped. Everyone stopped.

"Y-You!"

Sora pushed himself up, strength seeping past all his wounds. "Don't you dare touch her!"

He should have stayed down.

Fallen pulled Oathkeeper out his back, dropping it as though it burnt him. The Keyblade faded away, the Keychain resting in the snow. Fallen was moving. No one reacted in time.

Oblivion found Sora. It ran straight through his chest and out the other side.

For a moment, two sets of near-identical eyes locked. If there had been any pain for Sora, he had already forgotten. The light faded from his blue eyes until they gazed blankly at nothing.

Kairi couldn't believe what she was watching, couldn't believe what her heart was telling her. How could it be? She couldn't breathe. Sora couldn't be dead. She had told him never to change. He had promised to return to her. This wasn't… it couldn't be… it wasn't happening! But it was, everything. Everything seemed to stop, everything but Fallen.

Fallen was finished with Sora. He held out his hand and Sora went flying backwards, over the edge of the castle and down, down, down to the lake. His body landed on the ice. The sheet cracked. Sora plunged into the water, sinking deeper and deeper. The ice sealed him in, reclaiming the hole barely moments after it had appeared.

Kairi fell to her knees by Oathkeeper, her hand reaching out to hold it. It was still so warm. Tears fell. What could she do? What could anyone do? Her heart was burning, brimming with rage and anguish and…

…Hope…

…Knowledge…

…Power.

Fallen turned, a sickly smile on his face. Maybe he couldn't believe it either. "That means I win."

"No."

The Green Materia floated out of Kairi's pocket. It spun circles around her, growing faster and faster until green light formed a glimmering circle around her. She seemed to float to her feet, her weapon left behind in the snow.

"I won't let you!"

Her hand swept out and Kairi grabbed the Materia, holding it to her chest. The green light continued to burn around her. Kairi's blue eyes burnt into Fallen's.

"TIME!"

Fallen suddenly realised.

"Hear me!"

And there was nothing he could do.

"Until the strongest light returns…"

He had unleashed the power of a Princess of Heart, the most powerful and dangerous of all. And she had just watched the one she loved die.

"…STOP!"

Snow halted in the air. The Heartless riddling the hallways stopped still. Barret still aimed at the Fallen Kairi, but she nor he were moving. Yuna sat like a broken doll behind the throne. Still as statues, Tifa, Cloud, Zidane and Red stared at Kairi. Fallen had tried to attack but he and Oblivion weren't moving, stuck as they tried to kill the girl. Kairi was ablaze with power, magic encompassing her even though she no longer knew it.

The magic, powered by light, encompassed the whole world. Nothing broke out.

Time was an easy thread to manipulate.

The one, who wielded the mightiest weapon of all, lay dead at the bottom of a deep lake whose waters had forgotten how to move.


	58. Chapter 58

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Fifty-Eight

Donald's magic was still holding strong. The Heartless around him were all stone, and any others who stepped into the magic's radius also found themselves Petrified. The wizard was holding down untold numbers of Heartless. His sacrifice was paying off. Without Donald, the Heartless would have overrun the world.

Goofy looked out at his friend from a watchtower. Riku stood behind him, refusing to let the injured knight go anywhere alone.

"If he hadn't have done that, we'd all be in a lot more trouble," Riku pointed out.

"I know. But…" Goofy sighed. Riku was uncomfortable with how dejected Sora's usually cheerful friend had become. Goofy continued. "But I sure wish it didn't hafta happen."

"It'll be over soon," Riku replied.

"What will you do then? Are ya gonna go home?"

Riku shook his head. "There are things I have to do."

"Things ya can't talk about?"

"Yeah. Sorry. Maybe some other time."

Goofy leaned back against a wall. "Sora's gonna come lookin' for you."

"I guess he will." Riku's smile was broken.

"But I…" Goofy looked at Riku, utterly serious. "I felt something a while ago. It felt like something…"

The young man was grim. "You don't have to sugar coat it. It feels like Sora's gone."

"But I don't wanna believe that and…"

Before Goofy could say anything else, Yuffie came running into the tower room. She had her weapon in her hand and an uncharacteristically serious expression on her face. "Something bad, and I mean really bad, just appeared outside the castle. I've never seen a Heartless like it. It broke through the barrier like it was nothing! We need your help Riku."

He stepped forward. "Are there other Heartless with it?"

"Not yet but Merlin doesn't think the barrier will hold much longer." Yuffie turned her focus to Goofy. "You can't fight so don't try. Merlin will need your help securing the library anyway. It's sorta like our last line of defence. The King sure has tons of books on magic. If it all falls apart, Merlin and that magic will be this world's last hope."

Riku drew the Soul Eater out of its holster beneath his coat and ran after Yuffie. Goofy's eyes lingered on his friend for a moment longer before he too left the tower.

Wherever he was, rain was pouring out the sky. He couldn't feel it though. He could just hear the rushing sound as it hit the water he was lying upon.

 _Where am I?_

 _What's happening?_

… _One other thing…_

 _What's my name?_

He opened his eyes. The abandoned world loomed up around him, crumbling and cold. He rolled onto his back, his eyes gazing at the black sky above. Everything was dark. Dark and dead.

 _As dead as me._

Dead?

There was no one around.

 _I suppose I'm not really here either._

When did he die? How did he die?

 _My heart isn't beating._ He held a hand to his nose. _I'm not breathing!_ He tried to breathe, tried to pull air into his lungs. But it was strange. He didn't know, didn't remember, how to breathe. He knew that when you were alive, breathing came perfectly naturally – you just did it without thinking. But he couldn't remember how, no matter how hard he tried. And anyway, he was having trouble thinking. If it was raining on this broken world, it was storming in his head.

 _What happened to me?_

He yelled it aloud. "What happened to me!"

No one was here to answer him.

 _Him. Me. Don't I have a real name?_

"No, of course I don't." He sat up. "I'm dead."

The Heartless that had broken through the barrier was massive, as large as a Darkside but chunkier and less frail looking. It was a walking monstrosity, arms and legs the size of trains and as thick as buildings. It did have a heart-shaped gap in its body, but it was full of blood red energy, sparking and throbbing with immense intensity.

Leon's Gunblade, even in its extended form, did nothing to damage the Dark Heartless' skin. He had no more time to attack, throwing himself out the way as the creature fought back. Leon barely avoided a Meteor spell, chunks of molten rock spraying everywhere to cut and burn his skin. Aerith's magic was doing absolutely no damage either; not even spells like Ultima seemed to cause the slightest amount of damage, and her Scans had failed to reveal the creature's weak point. Yuffie and Riku's slashing attacks simply angered the Dark Heartless, causing it to use even stronger magic. Gunfire and other spells like Silence curses from the soldiers weren't helping either. Not even blasts from the castle's canons or the gummi ship's weapons could stop the beast. And it was getting closer and closer to the castle, its large legs slow but able to eat up a lot of ground.

"What the hell are we gonna do?" Yuffie cried out as she and Riku fell back to Leon and Aerith. "Nothing we're throwing at it can stop it."

"We can't give up."

No one quite believed the voice when they heard it. High-pitched yet carrying all the dignity of a king within, the voice of the Disney Kingdom's monarch had always betrayed him.

"Your highness!" Aerith gasped.

Mickey, pulling the hood of his black coat down, smiled at the woman. "It's good to see you all again."

"Mickey," Riku said. "Have you got anything that can help us?"

"I hope so." The King's golden Keyblade appeared. "But I don't know how much this can do alone. All the worlds are slipping ever closer to chaos and the In-between Universe could very easily replace this one if Sora doesn't return."

"What of our memories?" Aerith asked suddenly. "Merlin spoke of the changes…"

"There's nothing I can do about that," Mickey replied apologetically. "I doubt your lives will return to how they were until the Heartless are dealt with once and for all. Now, shall we deal with this little problem?"

"What do you want us to do?" Leon asked.

"I'll try and weaken its power source, there in the centre of its body. If that can be damaged, and I imagine only a Keyblade could do it, then normal weapons will start to have an effect."

"Is that a guess?" Riku asked with a grin.

Mickey smiled back. "Not quite. I just don't know if one Keyblade can do it…" And then Mickey was off, running across the gardens to where the Heartless was.

"Riku, Yuffie, cover him," Leon ordered and the teenaged pair took off after the monarch. "Aerith, any idea how much longer Merlin's barrier will hold?"

She concentrated for a moment. "It's not good news," she said after a moment. "Three minutes at best."

A very serious looking soldier, a taller and more muscular version of Goofy, stepped up. "I'll take the troops to the front line. We can hold off the Heartless that come through the barrier."

"No, split the soldiers into two groups," Aerith replied. "We'll need another line of defence around the castle in case…"

The soldier nodded and took command of the soldiers, splitting them up and redirecting them. Most went to the front line, carrying portable cannons and other heavy artillery. The commander in charge of the airships ordered them also to split into two groups, ensuring each line of defence had equal air cover.

Mickey had reached the Heartless and was jumping up, landing on its arm and balancing carefully in order to attack the core of its power. When the Heartless' other hand reached up to punch Mickey away, the Keyblade's power revealed itself. Mickey slashed out and tore a large gash over the Dark Heartless' fist.

"Aim attacks there!" Mickey yelled down to Riku and Yuffie, not stopping as he jumped up, somersaulting around and bringing the Keyblade over his head. The weapon's jagged edge pierced the jerking red light. The Heartless roared and the red lightning fluctuated, weakening in colour. It wasn't much, but it was enough for lesser weapons to start having an effect.

"Why can only the Keyblade do that?" Yuffie asked, throwing her Conformer as Mickey landed next to her.

"Can't you tell?"

"Uh…"

"Keyblades are feared by the Heartless, remember," Riku called, holding out a hand and casting Dark Firaga. "It's connected to the light."

"Ah, and Heartless are all about the dark, got it," Yuffie replied, grabbing her weapon before tossing it again.

Leon and Aerith arrived. Aerith began casting powerful magic, Ultima and Freeze, while Leon aided the others with physical attacks from his Gunblade, switching between close-range slashes and gunshots faster than anyone could tell.

The Heartless didn't stop casting high-level spells and the group had to constantly dodge fire, ice, lightning, earthquakes and meteors. But the spells were starting to slow. They were wearing the Dark Heartless down.

That was when the barrier fell.

He held out his hands, laughing quietly as the rain passed right through. His body, clad in a baggy white vest and white shorts, seemed to be pretty hazy these days, drained of its solidity. It was strange, being a ghost. His memories were all a little absent. All he had were snatches of lost days, lost people, lost places… everything that had been his was gone. He did wonder where he'd left his body.

 _Not too deep underground I hope. And not cremated either. I don't like the thought of being ashes._

He stood up, looking at the world he was on. That was when he realised that he wasn't actually standing on the water. He laughed again. He was hovering.

 _I can fly!_

"Wait 'til I tell…"

Who would he tell? No one. He was a ghost and he'd left his life behind.

 _Heart… blade… holes…_

It really was all gone, wasn't it?

 _I think I should feel sad. I'm sure I didn't want to die._

 _"I didn't go all that way just to die!"_

But what way was that?

He walked (drifted) forward. He didn't know how to leave this watery place behind. The cliffs around him were broken, the grey rocks cracked and barely staying up. In fact he turned around just in time to see a shower of rocks fall with the rain, punching through the water and sending waves crashing upwards.

Whoa.

It was considerably weirder when a pile of rocks fell through him. He snorted with laughter.

 _Hah! I bet that never happened to…_ He shrugged. Never mind. He laughed again. _Being dead isn't so bad…_

Although having his memories back would've been nice. Why did being a ghost mean he had to forget everything? What had happened in his life? Who had he been? What did those strange flutters of places and people and voices mean?

Death… had he spent a lot of time thinking about it before?

 _"Hey ….? Remember the time you got all freaked out about dying?"_

 _"….! Don't start that again! … said I shouldn't listen but I know it's all true because … died. One day I won't be here any more. I won't be able to see the people I love. I won't be able to play on the beach and I won't even go to school! And that'll be it, there won't be anything else. I'll just be gone."_

 _"…. it'll be years and years and years and years before you're gone! Besides, I'm older than you so I'll die before you."_

 _"…. don't say that!"_

 _Life… I loved it._

But life was over and his current situation ceased to amuse him. He hurried out the way of falling rocks. Whoever he had been in that memory, he had been wrong about one thing.

There is something after death: being a lonely ghost.

Guns were blazing from the ships above. They tried to attack as many of the Heartless on the castle grounds as they could, but the flying Heartless were attempting to bring the ships down. They fought on, taking care to avoid those on the ground.

The soldiers on the ground were managing to take down the normal and ghost-type Heartless. But the Dark Heartless were another matter, resisting attacks from all but the strongest fighters. Riku and Leon broke away from the King, running to the front lines to help the castle's soldiers. Riku's abilities were fearsome, powered by darkness but controlled with light. He seemed to fly through the air, his Soul Eater slicing through Heartless that turned to smoke as soon as he moved on. He didn't even seem perturbed by the chill of the ghosts, moving too fast for it to affect him. Leon, his weapon enhanced, sliced through anything that tried to come near him.

Mickey and Yuffie were making good work of the Dark Heartless. The creature was severely weakened, unable to use magic but still capable of delivering nasty blows. The Keyblade Master and the ninja had to move fast to avoid injury, but at least their job was easier now that the creature's magical attacks were a thing of the past.

Aerith stayed back now, alternating between healing spells for her comrades and wide-ranging attacks to hold back the groups of Heartless that managed to break through the frontline defences.

The airships above made sure to target the largest, most dangerous Heartless that lumbered forwards. The castle's soldiers, those on the frontline and those at the rear with long-range weapons, were picking off the small fry with ease. But the numbers were never lessening, and only Mickey knew why. The others had probably sensed a change in their hearts, chalking it up to their ominous situation… But he and those closest to Sora knew that wherever he was, something tragic had occurred.

Mickey knew the truth because he wielded a Keyblade. Merlin knew the truth because of the wisdom he pulled from the library's books. Goofy and Riku knew the truth because they felt the emptiness.

If Sora didn't return, the Heartless would overwhelm the Light Universe and it would fall.

Appearing as if he had blinked and missed it, a new path was suddenly ahead of him. The water led into a tunnel, a place completely without light it seemed. He looked behind him. No, there were no other options back there in the rocks and water.

 _Onwards then._

 _To what?_

 _Not gonna know if I don't go…_

Life, he had loved it.

 _Death…_

 _I don't know what it holds for me yet._

He went forward. The darkness replaced the water and the cliffs. He knew he was moving but now it seemed he was walking again, and he was having to walk through water that, even as it passed right through him, threw all its weight into him in order to slow his progress. He could feel it trying to push him back. Well, he could sort of feel it. So strange. He smiled faintly. Although he couldn't feel the water in the sense that he would be able to cup his hands and have it seep through his fingers, the power of it was easy to perceive.

 _Why though?_

 _Try and remember._

The darkness was coming back, hiding everything.

 _Who are you?_

 _Worry about that later. For now, try and remember. Go on._

So he did. He pushed on through the water, watching it pass through his chest even as he felt it resisting his movement. He walked and tried to think.

It all started with a dream…

His memory faded behind a wave of water. He stood still, holding himself firm against the tide until it passed. Once the waters ebbed, his memories also resurfaced.

 _A cold, empty town. Ghosts keeping watch. Ghosts trying to…_

 _There, you haven't completely forgotten. Keep going._

 _Huge castle… looking different to how it once did…_

He kept walking. Memories wafted by, hard to capture and empty of so much.

Broken down… all crumbling… historical ruins that had once been so…

A palace on a world of warmth but lurking below a place of frozen…

… _Where did the water go?_

An embarrassing meeting… a desperate escape…

He laughed at the next memory. A whale of a whale, right?

 _Do you see it yet? That little bit of light way up ahead?_

A jungle, hot and uncomfortable…

And then snow.

…then he was in a place he had always known but it wasn't real so he hadn't been there at all.

And a city, abandoned by its people and… what was it? "Ever feel like you stepped in to one of those old brown photos?" Why did it also make him think of a ship on the sea?

Then a world that was a living nightmare.

After that… so much sleep and pain.

 _That's right._

Then another city – huge and…

 _Something else?_

Green and sparkly.

 _Cute._

On to a castle and a tree… a place full of sadness.

A world of storms…

The water suddenly began to churn, swirling around his feet and pressing more heavily against him. He stumbled back with a cry, falling into the water and going under. How bizarre… he didn't need to breathe.

 _Get up. You'll have to face your bad memories too. Get on with it, now!_

He fought to stand up, pushing off the streambed with all his strength. But he could barely push his hand through. Why? Was he afraid? He didn't know because he didn't have a heart to tell him how to feel. Oh, no, wait, that wasn't strictly true. He did have a heart but it wasn't beating because he was dead. What was wrong? What had happened in his life after the last remembered place?

 _If you stay here, I can't help you. Get it together!_

There was no point fighting the current. He stayed beneath the waters. He could remember here.

 _Don't stay below the water! Stand up!_

What had happened? Had there been water in his life like there was now?

 _Stand! NOW! COME…_

"…on! Grab my hand!"

But his hand hadn't been able to reach…

He was going to drown! He was trapped and he couldn't get back above the water. Drown… drown here… he was going to drown. No!

 _It hurt._

Didn't it? It had hurt… The fear and the…

 _Darkness from inside me._

 _Break through!_

He pushed and this time, the waters allowed him to break through. He kept his legs bent and parted to increase his balance. It was flowing faster now, the stream around him rushing backwards. And he could see it better too – the light up ahead. He could see walls around him, black but peppered with silver. He tried to touch it, but of course his hand passed straight through.

 _Don't linger here longer than you need to. It'll get harder each time you fall under the water if you take too long. Move. Now._

Imprisoned after that, back in those ruins.

Not much trust… the town that should've been drenched in night…

Home?

The light was getting brighter and brighter. Soon he'd be able to reach out and be in it.

 _Hmph, light ain't gonna do you much good. You're dead. It'll pass right through you. You won't be able to see your own body._

The last place. Dreamt it, went to it…

Died there.

Died and lost everything, including his name.

 _A lost heart,_

 _Reborn only for destruction,_

 _Only for revenge,_

 _Only to bring the Heartless._

 _A burning hatred_

 _Rekindled only for one purpose:_

 _Bring about the death of one._

 _The one who is most feared by all the Heartless:_

 _The one who wields the mightiest weapon of all,_

 _The Keyblade's Master._

 _The lost one will take all he holds dear._

He was in the light. The water was no longer around him. There was no more water because…

It was falling, even though it had been flowing the other way. There was a massive waterfall, the light forming white clouds. The waterfall was below him, its end beyond his ability to see.

 _Coming?_

He began to fall.

The Heartless were launching an all out assault, throwing everything they had at the people who fought them on the lands surrounding Disney Castle. The front line had fallen out of order, soldiers attacking wherever and whenever they could, regardless of commands. The airships were using up the last of their missiles before hurrying back to the hanger to reload. The defences around the castle itself had also broken formation and Heartless were dashing in. But no one could stop all of them at once. There was no time for strategy and no time for talk – everyone had to fight with everything they had or they would die. This would be the final assault. If they fell, they died.

"Ain't there somethin' we can do?" Goofy asked Merlin. The knight was wise enough to refrain from running out to help but he desperately wished to do something, anything, to help his friends.

Merlin, who was pouring through magical books placed all over the library's desk, spoke without looking up. "We're the last line of defence. If anything comes through those doors, I'll need all your help to use this magic…"

"But I ain't no good with magic…"

"But you can still lend me your energy and that will…"

The library doors began to rattle. Something was pounding on them from the outside. Cracks began to appear. Hands reached through – all three kinds of Heartless trying to get through.

"It's no good. Goofy, come here! I'll have to start using magic now." Goofy hurried to Merlin's side. The master wizard passed the knight a large crystal ball. "Just focus on the crystal. Your energy will flow into it and allow me to use it for spells. Whatever you do, don't drop it and try not to distract me." Merlin tried to smile but he was far too tense, so it came out as a grimace. "Ready my lad?"

"Ready."

Merlin's magic soon began tearing through everything and anything that tried to break into the library. But with the Heartless seemingly growing stronger, how long could Merlin, Goofy or anyone else last?

The light universe was falling into shadow and from there it would only find darkness.


	59. Chapter 59

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Sixty

The soldiers were falling too fast, their weapons of little use against the Heartless packing the hallway leading to the library. Mickey turned to find only five of his men left, the rest having lost their hearts to the Heartless. The King cut down an Invisible and saw that his friends weren't faring much better. Yuffie was draped over Leon's back. She had taken a nasty hit to the stomach and another to the head. That left Cid, Riku and Aerith to cover them. Leon made the last dash for the library where magical energy was blasting out with almost unfathomable power. Merlin's magic ripped through anything that tried to reach the library, but Mickey knew such power would only last for so long before its wielder would be too exhausted to continue.

"The last stand," Riku murmured, coming to stand by Mickey with his weapon still raised.

"Yeah, but we're not gonna go down without a fight!"

"I never thought we would," Riku replied with a faint grin, running past Mickey to take out a ghost-type Heartless that had its sights set on Leon.

"More like we ain't gonna go down at all," Cid said, his lance piercing a group of Shadows. "We been in worse spots that this, dontcha reckon Aerith?"

"Oh, probably!"

When they reached the library, Merlin managed to withhold his magic long enough for the group to get in. Then he was ignoring them and casting magic again, his and Goofy's energy almost run out.

"Get ready to barricade that doorway," Leon said as he carefully laid Yuffie down on the ground. "Chairs, tables, bookshelves – whatever you can use. We need to keep the Heartless out."

"Well ain't you Captain Obvious today," Cid observed as he began shoving furniture towards the door.

Merlin's final spell was Holy, the light of which managed to stun the Heartless long enough for a shoddy barricade to be put up in place of the wrecked door. The magician and Goofy fell to the ground, their energy spent.

Riku stood by the barricade, pacing back and forth, ready to fight as soon as the first Heartless broke through. After ensuring Aerith could handle healing Yuffie, Leon stood by the silver-haired teenager.

"This is it," Leon said, the Gunblade held against his shoulder.

A massive blow from the other side of the barricade agreed.

"We'll die fighting."

Furniture began to fall out of place, breaking as it hit the marble floor.

Cid gave Riku a sidelong glance. "That's a pretty grim attitude for a kid."

Riku didn't meet his gaze. "Optimism was Sora's department. I deal with realism."

Mickey stepped in front of them, his Keyblade held ready. "This is my castle and my world and if I say it's not gonna fall to the Heartless, then what I say goes!"

"But…"

"No buts Riku!"

The young man laughed. "I guess I'll just have to believe in Sora."

Mickey winked. "That you will."

The Heartless broke through. Mickey, Riku, Leon and Cid ran to met the hordes, believing in Sora but knowing that this fight may very well be their last.

"Here's the deal, Light Me."

Why did the other him have to talk and fight at the same time?

"I help you get out of here, and you help me in return."

Sora managed to block an attack aimed at his chest. "How?"

"You don't get to know. But we've got a promise."

"I never said…"

"Either you make the deal or everyone dies. What would you prefer?"

"What would I prefer?" Sora almost laughed as he threw himself to the side and held the Keyblade parallel to his body. "You need to ask?"

"Ha, I suppose not."

The two Keyblades smashed against each other, the noise of the clang dulled by the rippling darkness. The other him kept pushing and pushing, driving Sora backwards. Sora parried the blows as best he could but his reaction times were off and his defence was slipping into desperation. Sora felt as though he were moving through water, his speed and agility sapped by the invisible force.

"You're not gonna get out of here if you don't fight back!"

"Easier said than done," Sora muttered, hefting the Kingdom Key up again.

The other him attacked again with an over-arm blow. Sora caught it the same way he had caught Ansem's first blow all that time ago, throwing his other self off and not stopping to catch his breath. Sora had to launch into the attack, moving as fast as his body allowed. He poured every ounce of his power into the series of blows, keeping them random enough to force the other him onto the defensive.

But the other him was holding back.

With a blow that came out of nowhere, Sora watched the Dark Keyblade pierce his side. Sora stumbled to one side, managing to stay on his feet. He felt nothing from the blow, thankfully, and his other self pulled the blade back.

"Oh yeah, before I forget." The other him started pacing around him, twirling his Dark Keyblade as he went. "See, there's this other little thing you gotta do to defeat me."

Sora said nothing, just prepared his defence for the inevitable attack.

"I know you remember wielding darkness. Your light here is pretty unstable. That's the downside of getting further and further from your universe – your power weakens no matter how strong you are. So you can't use light alone to beat Fallen or me. I mean, your being here just goes to prove it."

"So you're telling me I've got to use darkness?"

"Exactly! We have a winner!" The other him smirked. "Better do something quick." And he launched himself at Sora again, his Keyblade a black blur as it cut through the air.

There was a strange sound as Sora raised his own Keyblade to block the other. Something splashed. They both looked down, Sora with an uncomprehending frown and the other him with a knowing snigger.

Sora was dripping water on the ground. His clothes were growing increasingly wet, the stain of dampness spreading outwards from his chest. His other self smashed the Keyblade down onto Sora's shoulder, his hand releasing the Kingdom Key. Sora thought as fast as his befuddled mind could, reaching out with his left hand and grasping the Keyblade as it returned.

Keyblade in his left hand…

The one that needed the darkness inside me…

He tried to recall its name, but he had to defend himself from his other self yet again. And all the while he was feeling heavier, his breath increasingly hard to draw. It was taking almost all his strength to take just a single breath. He shoved the other him away, but even that slight exertion sent his whole body into a spasm, his lungs threatening to stop entirely. He could hear his rasping, choking gasps. It was no good. Fighting was beyond him.

The darkness closed in on him, coming as close as it dared while his light still burned. He braced himself on his hands and knees, hearing the water dripping from his body and splashing into the puddle beneath him. He gazed at his reflection, barely able to make it out thanks to the reflection of the light. Light. His light. Kairi. Light had always been his strength but now, the only use for his strength was a desperate struggle to breathe. He had no hope of battling his other self.

He could do only two things: trust in his light and remember his darkness.

He clung to the Keyblade with his left hand. Darkness inside him. The other him said he was from the Light Universe and yet he'd gone to the place between dark and light…

 _Light, Dark and the place In-Between – your place In-Between._

In-between was Fallen, but Fallen had no intention of doing the right thing. So… So Sora had had both the Keyblades, charged with the duty of killing Fallen and restoring balance to Light and Dark.

Sora was Light. The other him was Dark.

"To bring balance though, you'll have to be both for a while. Didn't I tell you that already? You don't listen, do you?" The other him raised his weapon, resting its tip against Sora's neck. "Fine, we'll do it the hard way."

Sora had to bring balance. He'd been wielding the Keyblade of Light…

Oathkeeper.

And the Keyblade of Dark…

"O-Oblivion."

Oblivion, the Keyblade he had used when he'd destroyed Atlantica. His memory was back. Oblivion gave him strength whether he wanted it or not. When he'd fought without that strength, Fallen had killed him.

Light and Dark together were Sora's only hope of triumph.

He would reclaim it. Oblivion would be his again. If the darkness came from within his heart, the shadow cast by his light, he would control it and never allow it to harm a world again.

Sora raised his head, eyes narrow. This ended now.

Despite the injury, Sora used his right arm to knock the Dark Keyblade away. In one fluid move, he lunged forward and slashed out. The Kingdom Key drew a deep, bloody, diagonal gash across his other self's chest. The other him stumbled back, looking at his bleeding wound in shock. The moment passed. His shock melted into unexpected amusement and he began laughing aloud.

"That's it then. You win."

That was it? Sora didn't have the breath to spare to question aloud.

The other him knew what he thought of course. "Hey, I don't wanna die. Besides, you remembered Oblivion. You've accomplished your goal. It's time to go back."

The light exploded from his body, wiping out all traces of the world around him. The other him watched Sora fade away. He heard footsteps approach, turned and saw the tall figure in the black coat, his face hidden behind his hood as usual.

He grinned at the man. "That's what you wanted, right?"

The hooded man nodded as he stepped over the discarded bodies. "Absolutely. Good work."

"He doesn't have a clue you know."

The man laughed. "Why would he? He probably never noticed us and if he did, he undoubtedly thought we were something else."

"Been following him a while then?"

The man turned to leave. "Of course."

The other him crossed his arms over his chest. "Do you think Light Me has realised why all this is happening yet?"

"No, but there are people in the Light Universe who can tell him."

He leaned back into his shadows. "Pulling apart the three essences of the heart and leaving your body behind."

"Essences of the heart." The hooded man laughed, the sound empty despite how deep it was. "Light, Dark, and the shadows resting In-Between."

"Rip them out with the Heartless or the Keyblade and this is what you get… well, only if you're strong enough. Most people become mindless automatons, there to do the bidding of the powerful."

"And with enough powerful people, the universes parallel to Light begin their fight for dominance."

The shadows curled around his body. "He'd never realise that alone."

The hooded man opened a portal. "Of course not. Your Light self has always been…dense."

"Good thing the darkness in his heart was a little sharper. So, are we ready for the next stage?"

"Almost. We will ensure the other players are sent to the King's lovely castle."

"Oh? And why's that?"

"Pieces and places young man, pieces and places."

The Sora who lived in darkness gave a bleak grin. "Finally." He pulled his hood back up. "Oblivion will be mine."

Time was starting to creep into motion. Snow began to slink towards the ground. Fallen's attack inched agonisingly slowly towards Kairi. She didn't notice, still holding onto the magic for as long as she had to. Cloud, Tifa, Red and Zidane may have seen the threat but all four moved too slowly to stop Fallen.

Back inside, Barret's bullets resumed their flight through the air, languidly throwing themselves at Fallen Kairi. Crouched ready to fight, Fallen Kairi was slowly falling into the first step of a rapid run.

And the Heartless were coming, their progress barely registering but their destination decided.

Kairi raised her head with a gasp. The green light around her threw itself away. Then, as if the ropes restraining it snapped, time resumed its normal rate. Materia still clutched in her warm hand, Kairi ducked Fallen's suddenly rapid attack and ran to the edge of the castle. She didn't notice the Oathkeeper Keychain slip from her hand and into the snow. She was entirely preoccupied. There was hope in her heart again, a joyous smile tugging her lips.

Zidane and Cloud moved to hold Fallen back, Cloud's Buster Sword sweeping forward to knock Oblivion off course while Zidane went in to cause some damage, Red going behind Fallen so they could box him in.

Tifa had gone back to the broken glass roof to make sure Barret was all right but seeing Kairi's smile, she turned to the redhead and called, "Anything?"

"Not yet!" Kairi replied with breathless excitement. "But soon…"

The ice had frozen over where Sora had fallen through. The lake's surface was a solid block of whiteness, sealing everything in. But Kairi had hope.

The sound of gunfire alerted Tifa to Barret's ongoing battle with Fallen Kairi. She was torn but she knew what had to come first. "I'm going to help Barret!" And she jumped back down into the throne room.

Kairi trusted Cloud, Zidane and Red to protect her from Fallen. The three of them were keeping Fallen occupied, Cloud's massive sword forcing the enemy to stay further back, giving Zidane and Red the openings to close in for their shorter-range abilities. Kairi couldn't fight anyway – she had left her hammer in the snow. And she couldn't take her eyes off the lake, her lips moving in a silent chant.

Something moved below the ice.

She couldn't hold it in any longer. Kairi called out his name. "Sora!"

He heard it. Sora reached beyond the light. He had to get back.

The Materia in his pocket freed itself, the two orbs racing circles around him. Light began to glow in circles. The Blue Materia, Final Attack, sent a spark of energy into the other orb. Fire broke out regardless of the water, flickering at first but blazing into an inferno. It formed into a bird, its wings spreading out on either side of Sora's body.

He opened his eyes and looked up.

It was time to go back.

Phoenix wrapped itself around him. His feet left the soft ground at the bottom of the lake. Phoenix drew all its power in. A second went by.

His heart gave a thump. And another. And another…

The second past.

Phoenix burst upwards, the water turning to steam as its flames burned hotter. The ice cracked and then exploded, turning to steam before it could return to the lake as water.

The ball of crackling fire landed on the castle roof. Everyone stopped, the heat piercing their skin. They watched as Oathkeeper pulled itself out the snow, disappearing into the fire. The flames shifted, revealing the shadow of the figure within. He held out his left hand.

"Wh-what!" Fallen tried to hold on to Oblivion but the Keyblade fled his grasp. "No! It belongs to me!"

Cloud and Zidane stepped away, watching the fire as Kairi did. Only Red stayed on guard, his good eye never leaving Fallen. Phoenix pulled away, flying proudly into the air before disappearing back inside its Materia.

Sora, Oathkeeper and Oblivion his again, had his eyes locked onto Fallen. His clothes were torn but all his injuries were gone, healed by the Phoenix Materia. He didn't say a word. Fallen was furious, clenching his teeth and pacing back and forth in the snow.

"It's mine. Oblivion is mine!"

Sora still refused to speak.

"Phoenix," Zidane said with a whistle. "That summon never fails to impress me."

"A pity I missed it in action," Red commented, "but someone had to keep calm and watch the enemy."

"But where did Sora get it?" Cloud replied quietly, his sword still held ready. "How do I even know what Phoenix is?"

"It's from our world Cloud," Red answered. "From the city of Midgar."

"That's not my world." But Cloud hesitated. "Midgar?"

Red frowned. "But how could you not…?"

Tifa's voice broke through Red's words and Cloud's thoughts. "We need some back up!" she cried out from below. "The Heartless are here!"

Zidane took one last look at Sora, grinned in relief, and disappeared back into the throne room. Red just jumped down without a second thought. Cloud lifted Kairi's hammer off the ground and gave it back to her. "Come on," he said, walking to the broken window. "You can't help up here."

"But Sora…"

"He can handle this himself. Besides," Cloud fixed his piercing blue eyes on her. "Don't you have something to deal with yourself?"

Of course. She had a Fallen self too. "You're right. I have to fight as well."

Holding her hammer tightly, Kairi swallowed hard and leapt into the throne room before Cloud. He gave a faint smile before following.

Riku held the Soul Eater above his head, not quite believing that his target had disappeared. All the sounds of fighting stopped.

The Heartless were gone.

Mickey allowed his Keyblade to disappear. His smile was huge. "The balance is returning!"

Goofy stood up slowly, a hand resting on his still barely healing injury. "Ya mean Sora's back?"

Mickey shook his head. "No, but the balance he upheld in the In-Between Universe before something went wrong is back!" The King gave a delighted laugh. "Ya know what this means? Everything's going to be fine!"

As if to agree, the markings on the floor left over from the spell that had sent Kairi and Cloud to the In-Between Universe began to glow bright white. Light enclosed the main symbol where Kairi and Cloud had stood. It disappeared, becoming a pool of white energy. Golden yellow light began to snake out of the spell casters' symbols, creating rivers of energy that fed into the main vortex. The power began to grow, the light pulsating brighter with each passing minute. A river of light eased out the library and ran off down the corridor. Everyone watched the light in amazement.

"Guess that means everyone's gonna be comin' home soon!" Goofy said, cheerful despite his tiredness. "Shame the place is in such a mess huh?"

Riku sheathed his weapon. "Shouldn't we make sure the Heartless are really gone before we celebrate?" But the smile on his face betrayed his cool assessment.

Leon took over. "I'll go take a look around."

"Good luck to ya," Cid said. "I'd better go and see if we got any ships left." And off he went to the castle's hanger.

Leon turned to Riku. "Care to join me?"

"Sure."

"We'll come as well sir," one of the few remaining soldiers, skinny and almost cow-like in appearance, said with a salute.

"Good, we might need the back up," Leon replied.

"Riku!" Mickey called out as the teen headed out the library. "You're gonna come back aren't ya?"

"Sure I am."

"Good."

And the search party headed out.

Goofy headed off too. Or at least he tried to. The King stopped him with a fierce look. "You're gonna stay here and rest!"

"Sorry your majesty," Goofy replied with a lacklustre salute. "But I gotta go find Donald."

"Oh! You're right!"

"Yes, well, I think I'll stay right here and have a spot of tea," Merlin said, still flat on his back. "Oh yes, a wonderful pot of tea and some scones and…" The rest of his list joined him in his dreams, snoring replacing his words.

"Donald may still be Petrified," Aerith said, walking away from Yuffie. "I'll come with you too."

"And you're just gonna leave me and Merlin on the floor?" Yuffie protested.

"Can you get up?" Aerith replied calmly.

Yuffie wiggled. "No."

"Then yes, I'm going to leave both of you on the floor."

"Ooh you're a cold woman beneath all that pink clothing!"

Aerith simply gave a smile and hurried after Goofy and the King, who had already left the library.

"Wonder why the light's goin' into the throne room?" Goofy pondered aloud.

"Maybe because that's were I found the Keyhole long ago," Mickey said. "Gosh, that sure was many years ago!"

"Kinda lose track of all these things when the Heartless come huh?"

"Ya sure do!"

Yuffie stayed sitting on the library floor, listening to Merlin snore and watching the pulsating light. It was quite peaceful and warmed the room up nicely. Yuffie leaned back against a bookshelf.

"It'll be over soon," she told herself.

Meanwhile, Goofy was running across the war torn grounds of Disney Castle. Mickey and Aerith couldn't keep up the knight even though he was injured. Anxiety gave Goofy speed. Sure he hadn't come across any Heartless yet, but what if the ones Donald had cast spells on hadn't disappeared? So Goofy, despite the jolts of pain, ran as fast as he could down to the lake. The number of bodies was alarming and horrifying, the soldiers lying dead where they had sacrificed themselves for their world. Goofy tried to stay positive, but the sight of so many fallen comrades wasn't encouraging.

Thankfully, he needn't have worried. Although Donald was unconscious on the grass, there wasn't a single Heartless to be seen. The lake was no longer frozen either, the water calmly lapping at the bank.

Goofy crouched next to his friend. Donald hadn't been injured but he was dangerously exhausted. Aerith arrived and cast a healing spell. "It'll help a little but the best thing will be sleep."

"Let's take him to his room," Mickey said. "Goofy, can ya lift him in your condition?"

"Yup."

"Let's get back to the others," Aerith said as Goofy picked Donald (and his wand) off the ground. "We should be together just in case…"

But Mickey still had that confident smile. "Everything's gonna be fine."

Kairi took over from Barret, her Fallen self attacking with a weapon identical to her own. Fallen Kairi smirked as the hammers clanged against one another. "Good, you're the one I really want to fight."

"Can you handle this?" Barret asked Kairi.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." Kairi didn't take her eyes off her other self. "Go help the others and protect Yuna!"

"Awright." Barret ran off towards the Heartless, only the ghost and regular types remaining. They were squeezing into the hall in increasingly large numbers. "Don't be afraid to call for help!"

"Okay!" Kairi pinned Fallen Kairi's weapon on the ground. Her blue eyes blazed, rage growing in her when she saw the laughter in the faded eyes of her other self. "You won't beat me!"

Fallen Kairi's weapon seemed to fizzle away. Then it was there again, above Kairi's and swinging at her. Kairi took a hit to the chest, the air bursting out of her lungs and her ribs shuddering under the force. She skidded back a few feet, her boots screeching against the ground. None of the others heard her though. They were all too busy tearing through the new waves of Heartless, Cloud and Barret's weapons making the most amount of noise. The two men were tearing through the Heartless, leaving Red to take down multiple targets with magic so Tifa and Zidane could keep Yuna safe. Kairi was alone. That was fine by her. Her other self was her responsibility.

Raising her weapon, Kairi spun it by her side, running back to her other self and lashing out in an arc. She hit Fallen Kairi, lifting her off her feet and sending her flying. Not letting the shock of her own power stop her, Kairi ran after her other self, attacking her while she was still on her back. Fallen Kairi pushed herself backwards with her hands, but she still received a nasty blow to the shins. There was a sickening crack. The bones shattered.

But Fallen Kairi stood anyway, grinning wildly. "It'll take more than that."

"Fine." And Kairi swung again, her hammer going upwards this time and crashing into her other self's head. Another crunching blow. Black blood came away with the hammer.

Fallen Kairi wasn't looking so cocky after that. She stumbled backwards dizzily, blood marring the right side of her face and blinding her eye. She ground her teeth together, teetering drunkenly as she raised her weapon again. "I'm not losing to you." She swung her hammer but Kairi dodged it easily, spinning around Fallen Kairi and attacking from behind. She aimed another blow at the head, but Fallen Kairi had luck on her side and she stumbled out of the way just in time.

But Kairi's mind was made up. She was going to take her other self down.

Fallen Kairi managed to move around, facing Kairi only in time to receive another blow to the head. Fallen Kairi stayed standing, managing to swing her weapon enough to hit Kairi's left arm. Kairi cried out, feeling the bone crack. Her left hand fell uselessly to her side. All she could do now was hold her weapon with her right hand. Laughter, edged with desperation, bubbled out of Fallen Kairi. She hefted her weapon up again. Kairi had to take the strain and fight with only one hand, crouching down and keeping her hammer's long handle held across body. She moved fast. Fallen Kairi left herself open, holding her hammer over her head for what she intended to be a killing blow. Kairi didn't let her attack. She swept her hammer into Fallen Kairi's legs, knocking the other girl off her feet. Kairi stood and put all her strength into the final attack. Fallen Kairi was struggling back to her feet but she took the attack in the head again. This time she fell with the blow, crashing to the marbled ground and not getting back up. Her eyes remained open but black blood was racing across the floor and her body was jerking irregularly.

Shortly afterwards, her body and weapon were sinking into the ground.

Kairi didn't know if she should feel triumphant or fall to her knees and vomit. She was trembling violently and her cracked bone was making itself known. She sank to her knees.

Kairi had just killed herself.

Her laughter tipped into hysteria. She fell onto her side, alternating between laughter and sobbing. She could hear the sounds of the others fighting, but to her ears the sounds of clashing weapons sounded like the bone smashing blows she had given Fallen Kairi. She retched but nothing came up. She carried on laughing and crying, trembling taking over her entire body.

Her actions repulsed her.

"Kairi stop!"

Yuna shocked Kairi out of her frenzy by grabbing onto her broken arm. Kairi gasped, the spike of pain smashing through her hysteria. Yuna let go, the tired little girl smiling as best she could. "It's okay," she said, pulling Kairi's right hand off her weapon and holding it tight. "Don't worry. That other you wasn't a real person any more, right?"

"B-b-but I…"

"It made you feel really bad huh?"

Kairi's breath caught. "Awful."

"So that means that you're not a bad person 'cause you feel so horrible. If you thought it was fun then I think you'd be really awful." Yuna smiled. "So don't think you're evil or something silly like that!"

"You very wise Yuna."

Yuna hugged Kairi. "And I think you're cool to fight with a hammer!"

Kairi gave a quiet, still melancholy laugh. But at least it was a start.

"Anyway, you and me better stay back 'cause we can't fight now and we don't wanna make any trouble for the others."

"Yeah, you're right."

And the two girls returned to where Yuna had been hiding behind the throne while Cloud, Tifa, Barret, Red and Zidane took down the ghost and regular Heartless that were storming the chamber.

Snow fell between them.

Fallen held out his hands. Shadows began to gather in his hands, taking the form of swords.

"Those who fought for me, who died for our dream, will aid me once again. All of them will stop at nothing to see your death and the fulfilment of our goal!"

Whispered voices rushed past Sora in the wind, the words too fast for him but the sentiment clear. That was when Sora realised the shadows were the remains of all the Fallen he had slain. His heart gave a worried clench at the thought of just how many Fallen that amounted to. He gripped the Keyblades tighter, their solid weight and the breath he drew reassuring him. He hadn't done all this just to die at the last hurdle.

"I'm creating a place for all the Fallen here," he told Sora. "We deserve a home!"

"But not by destroying mine."

"You made me."

"I didn't mean to."

"So now everything I've created has to be destroyed?"

"Not destroyed. I think everything will be returned to Light or Dark." Sora was poised ready to fight. "The worlds will be back to how they should be."

"This is how everything should be!" The swords were now fully formed, smoke whispering on their black edges. "I'll destroy you and anyone else with hearts. All of us can live without emotion! No sadness and no pain! Wouldn't that be better?"

"Not when you lose happiness too."

"Happiness makes us jealous. You know we only remember."

"I know. And I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"

"To create me and the others? Yeah well, you did." Fallen held the points of the swords on level with Sora's throat. "So I'll take those Keyblades back and then the Fallen will have their home."

The snow was thrown off course as Sora and Fallen Sora moved in the same second, their weapons preparing to kill the other.


	60. Chapter 60

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Sixty-One

Oblivion caught the sword aimed at Sora's legs. Oathkeeper held off the one going for Sora's throat. Deadlocked, both jumped back. Fallen moved first, running forward before jumping high. He lunged at Sora, both his swords aimed for the eyes. Sora rolled out the way, coming up and swinging Oathkeeper in one move. Their weapons screeched against one another. Sora kept pushing forward, ignoring the hideous noise as Oathkeeper ran against Fallen's sword, both attempting to wound the other. Fallen tried to use his other sword to stab Sora, but Sora lifted Oblivion from his side and intercepted the low slash.

Sora's split in concentration lost him the upper hand but it had saved him from injury. He stepped back before swinging into Ars Arcanum, the attack moving him forward and forcing Fallen towards the edge of the castle. His swords moved as fast as Sora's Keyblades, but Sora broke through Fallen's defence. While Oblivion caught both the swords and threw them upwards, Oathkeeper's bright edge caught Fallen's chest and drew a gash right up to his chin. He fell back, black blood splashing down his front and dribbling into the snow. Sora didn't let him recover. He carried on attacking, Oblivion held high so Oathkeeper could be prepared to save its wielder from another attack. The Keyblades spun around, attacking and defending as needed. Fallen clung onto his swords but he didn't have a chance to retaliate, the rapidity of Sora's moves resulting in a defence as flawless as his offence.

But Fallen had plans.

He threw himself at Sora's next attack. Sora hadn't expected it and the sudden weight pinned to his weapons upset the rhythm of his attacks. Fallen didn't attack with his weapons. Instead, he jumped up, spinning around in midair and kicking Sora in the side of the head. Sora stumbled sideways, catching himself on the wall that acted as a barrier between the castle roof and midair. He cried out as he felt something slice into his back, his already torn clothing now bloodstained as well. He had to endure another cut in order to escape Fallen's swords, rolling over and crossing the Keyblades in front of him in time to avoid another injury.

Fallen pressed his advantage as much as Sora had, his style so similar but definitely more violent. He took pleasure in drawing blood as painfully as possible, going in for non-lethal but incredibly agonizing attacks whenever he thought he could score a hit. Sora moved fast too, but now he was slipping and sliding backwards over the snow, ducking and leaping blows when his Keyblades couldn't catch them in time. Feeling confident, Fallen's attacks became wilder, his swords lashing out without a thought for strategy. At first Sora had to move faster to keep up, often having to lever the swords over both their heads before twisting his whole body around to throw his other self off. It was energy consuming but the pattern to Fallen's careless attacks was becoming clearer.

When Sora discerned the weak spot in Fallen's offensive, he crouched down and swung Oblivion upwards horizontally, using the whole of the Keyblade to attack. Fallen caught it with both his weapons, just as Sora hoped he would. Fallen's advantage was broken, his concentration lost. He'd neglected to remember Oathkeeper and took a heavy knock to the stomach. Winded, he staggered several steps back.

Unexpectedly, Fallen began to laugh. One hand (and sword) still held to his winded stomach, Fallen came to a stand still completely undefended. "You're more of a challenge when you're fighting at full strength. Good, beating you will prove, once and for all, that I deserve to exist more than you!" Eyes maniacal, he held Sora's gaze as he paced around the Keyblade Master. "Why don't we end it where it all began?"

 _The place was strange._

"We're already standing in my dream," Sora replied, turning as Fallen walked behind him.

"True, but this place didn't always take centre stage in that weird head of yours."

 _Standing on water._

Sora's eyes flickered with understanding. "Again?" He said, trying not to sound too reluctant.

Fallen smirked and chuckled. "Yes, again." His swords faded. Sora held himself ready but he couldn't react in time to Fallen's next move. Fallen shot forward so fast, his body became a blur. Sora felt a hand land on his chest. At first he noticed nothing. Briefly he heard a burst of laughter from Fallen but it became increasingly distant. That was when Sora realised his feet were no longer touching the ground. He flew head over heels backwards, over the edge of the castle and back down towards the lake, alive this time but not for long if he didn't control his plummet.

He cast Aeroga, the winds wrapping around him and helping him flip over. He slowed his fall just in time, landing lightly on the ice. He looked up. Fallen was there, his swords stretched out. Sora dodged both, only to feel an intense chill pass through him.

Fallen had summoned his ghostly Heartless.

"Their proper designation is Fallen Heartless."

Sora cut one down with Oathkeeper, a second with Oblivion and dodged a punch from a third. "I'll be sure to remember that," he muttered.

Fallen sent his Heartless in first, planning to wound or distract Sora long enough for him to score a decisive blow. But Sora took down the remaining Fallen Heartless with ease; killing the final three with a spinning slash. However, the Heartless were enough of a distraction for Fallen to disappear. Sora looked around in confusion, turning a full circle and looking up. Where had his In-Between self gone?

It never occurred to him to look down. Only when the ice gave a groan did Sora suspect what was going to happen. He had no chance of getting out the way as Fallen attacked from below. Sora was thrown backwards, ice breaking beneath him as Fallen cut it away and slashed at his feet.

Tumbling over saved Sora, his trainers protecting him from severe cuts. But another attack like that would slice his feet in two and Fallen was still below the lake, his swords spiking through the ice with barely any warning. Sora was relying more heavily on his Glide ability, but it didn't take Fallen long to wise up to that. The ice itself became Fallen's new weapon, his swords cutting out great chunks before sending them shooting into the sky. Sora had to dodge the massive slabs of ice, some the same size as him. Several times the ice grazed his skin. Twice he took a hit that threw him to the ground, and Sora would have to cut himself free and quickly jump back into the air to avoid being stabbed from below. After evading numerous attacks, even though the ice froze over moments after it had been broken apart, Sora realised how he could force Fallen out of the lake.

Landing, Sora thrust both his Keyblades through the ice. Thundaga finished his move. Lightning burst out in the lake. Fallen threw himself through the ice, his shadowy body flickering as the magic coursed through him.

"I was wondering when you'd try that," he said, bone dry despite being submerged for so many minutes. "Took you long enough."

Fallen said nothing else. Swords appearing in his hands again, Fallen attacked. He threw his arms out wide and held his swords down low, the tips of his blades scoring the unbroken ice. Sora raised the Keyblades before Sonic Blade sent him across the ice, faster than he had gone before thanks to the lack of friction. He hit Fallen with each repetition of the attack, black blood spattering on the ice with each new wound.

Despite his wounds, Fallen timed his revenge perfectly. Sora saw what would happen but he was moving too fast to stop. The final cycle of Sonic Blade still cut Fallen but his swords were out and Sora couldn't dodge them. Two deep gashes were torn into his stomach, the cold stabbing into them mercilessly. Sora skidded to a stop, instinctively raising Oathkeeper behind him and catching one of Fallen's swords. The cuts on his stomach tore wider as Sora raised both his arms over his head to keep Fallen's weapons away. He threw himself into a backwards somersault, passing over Fallen's head. Once on his feet again, Sora's Keyblades raised up, cross-slashing Fallen's back. His suit tore and Sora kicked him, knocking Fallen to his knees.

Sora held Oathkeeper and Oblivion on either side of Fallen's neck. The final move was at hand.

"Can't you finish me off?"

Sora jerked, the Keyblades slipping a little. He let out a quiet, confused "Uh?" before his eyes slid down to the source of the excruciating pain. Seeing the sight made it worse still, the image flipping his stomach.

"I suppose you can't."

Having a sword stabbed through his thigh was definitely making things hard for Sora.

The last of the Heartless was taken down by Tifa, her booted foot sending it crashing and then sinking into a wall. The young woman seemed to be getting revenge for the attack she had suffered earlier, having killed the last Heartless with an especially powerful kick.

"And again I am reminded to never get on Tifa's bad side," Zidane muttered as he tucked his daggers away.

Cloud merely smiled. He knew better than to pass comment, as did Red and Barret.

They regrouped, Yuna and Kairi coming out from behind the throne.

"Is everyone all right?" Kairi asked, her eyes checking everyone else for injuries.

"We all seem fine," Red replied, sitting on his hind legs calmly. "We have been most fortunate."

Kairi's eyes returned to the broken window. "We should go and make sure he's all right."

"Can't you tell from here?" Red asked before anyone else could make a comment.

Kairi met his gaze. "Of course. But sometimes, I like to have my eyes tell me what my heart already knows."

Zidane laughed, the sound ever so slightly bitter. "Don't we all."

"Sora's gonna be fine Kairi!" Yuna promised, holding onto Kairi's good hand. "Anyway, you gotta stay here and get your arm mended 'cause otherwise Sora will see and tell us all off for not taking better care of you."

"What happened to your arm?" Tifa demanded.

Kairi stuttered out an answer. "I-I-I um… sort've… uh… broke i-it…"

Tifa stepped over and carefully took hold of Kairi's arm. She called to Red who quickly used Scan, confirming the diagnosis of a break. "Hold on," Tifa said, "I'll use Cure to lessen the pain. I don't know what we can make a splint out of though…"

A flash of white light took all their thoughts away. Turning, the group saw a speck of unmarred brightness blossoming on the cracked ground, widening until it took the shape of the world's Keyhole. Golden light began to shimmer around it, warming even the snowy air.

"It must know the Keyblade is here," Cloud observed.

"It's calling out," Red added. "This world wishes to be restored to Light."

"Or Dark," Cloud said.

"Always lookin' on the grim side ain't ya?" Barret said.

Kairi walked over and held her right hand into the light. The power she felt was unmistakable; it resonated in her heart. "Light," she said. "Light from our Universe. This is it!" Kairi looked at the others, meeting their eyes one by one. "This is a connection to home!"

The light continued to shimmer, growing brighter and encompassing more and more space. It chased the shadows away and set the snow and ice running free.

"I never thought about it before but I suppose we are all in the wrong universe," Tifa commented. "Life was hard in the past, sure, but it was never like this." She waved a hand at their broken surroundings. "This place, for however long we've been here, has always been empty of so many things."

"Makes you wonder jes' how long we've been 'ere," Barret said.

"For me, it's been nine years since my world was taken by the Heartless," Cloud said. "But…" he held a hand to his head. "That doesn't feel right any more."

"Perhaps nothing is as real as we think it is," Red commented.

"Don't add to our headaches," Zidane said, nudging Red with a foot.

Red moved out of Zidane's range. "Then I shall put it simply. Our lives have been… altered, shall we say, to fit a larger scheme."

"Comfortin'," Barret muttered.

"Wonder why we ended up here," Zidane mused.

"I'm sure a little research would reveal the reasons," Red answered, his front paws batting at the light so it would break into new swirls.

"You just can't wait to hit the books again huh?"

"One of us has to know how to read Zidane."

"Hey!"

Kairi couldn't help but laugh, the arguing reminding her of two other boys who baited each other just the same. She looked up at the sky again, water pattering over her face as the snow turned to rain when the light touched it. Sora was out there fighting, and so was Riku back at the castle in the Light Universe. She would do whatever she could to help her two friends reunite… so they could fight like they used to.

Well, perhaps not exactly like they used to, Kairi thought when the recent past sprung to mind.

"So, what are we gonna do?" Yuna's voice broke through Kairi's thoughts.

"We're going to stay here," Tifa replied, looking at Kairi and waiting for the protest.

But Kairi nodded. "You're right. Sora will be back soon and then we can all go home." Her held her right hand to her chest, her heart beating faster. "Everything's going to be fine," she said, even as a thread of anxiety tried to break down her faith.

The golden incandescence continued to dance, the Keyhole glimmering in the dew.

"Still," Zidane said, looking up at the skylight. "It would be kinda cool to watch a showdown. How many times to you get to watch someone fight their doppelganger?"

"Zidane…" Tifa began.

"I too would love the chance to witness such a unique phenomena," Red said, standing by Zidane.

Barret nodded. "Beats standin' doin' nuthin'."

"Can I watch too? Can I? I'm feeling much better now! I look better, don't I Kairi?"

The redhead nodded. "Much."

"Then let's go." And Cloud stood ready to help everyone back up to the roof.

"What happened to just believing?" Tifa asked Kairi.

Kairi shrugged with a smile. "It's always better to keep an eye on him."

Sora's other leg was still free and he hit out at Fallen, his foot connecting with Fallen's chin and knocking his head back. Grinding his teeth against the pain, Sora held his good foot on the side of Fallen's face before ripping his other leg free of the sword skewering it. Blood hissed as it splattered and melted the ice. Curaga did its best to take the edge off the pain, but Sora was still limping.

Fallen threw him off, flipping back to his feet and holding his swords ready. His posture was mirrored by Sora; both were crouched and tensed to move in a split second.

Sora only had an instant to react when Fallen cast Ultima. Having no hope of deflecting or evading the magic, he had to cast it himself. Two storms of green fire screamed at the other, clashing as both tried to overpower their identical enemy. But it was Sora's who fell short and his magic died in the onslaught of Fallen's. However, he'd had time to think of another plan, and as the thankfully weakened Ultima sent him flying backwards over the ice, the Keyblades left Sora's hands, Strike Raid carrying them away. Still distracted by Ultima's green blaze, Fallen only managed to deflect Oathkeeper. Oblivion still hit him hard, drawing yet more black blood from his body. Strike Raid's follow-up attacks all failed to hit their target, Fallen moving closer to Sora with each deflection. Soon they were exchanging blows again, moving back and forth as they sought to kill one another.

Fallen's attack was led with his right-handed sword, jabbing and lancing at Sora's defence before springing a surprise attack with the left-handed sword. Sora tried to hold his ground while throwing Fallen's attacks away, but the swings from the left were always hard to anticipate, meaning Sora slid backwards whether he meant to or not. Sora also had to keep putting his weight on his damaged left leg, the pain greatly numbed but still a source of much discomfort. His leg would tremble if he put too much weight on it too fast. Fallen was well aware of the disadvantage Sora's weak leg caused, so he was putting more weight and power behind each blow, hoping the pressure would break Sora's strength down.

Fallen raised both his swords, bringing them down towards Sora's shoulders. Sora raised Oblivion, catching both of Fallen's weapons and feeling the power shake all the way up his arm. Sora spun around to free himself from Fallen's swords, knocking Oathkeeper's hilt into Fallen's throat and rotating Oblivion so that the black Keyblade could attack from below. Fallen's wounds were really mounting now, the blood he trailed thicker than ever. Now that Sora was in control again, he kept an even pace with his moves so he avoided wasting energy. He only sped up when he saw an opening he could exploit.

It was working – Sora kept forcing Fallen's steps backwards. Even when Sora's tempo was slow, the Keyblades never stayed still, spinning around for momentum when Sora wasn't attacking with them.

Sora crouched down and Fallen's defence followed, the swords aimed ready to pass over the Keyblades and dig into Sora's body. But Sora changed tactics and jumped high, Fallen unable to keep up with the sudden move. Sora then attacked from the front, twisting in midair to hit Fallen with Oblivion before Sora darted around his wounded other self to attack from behind. The Keyblades were often a blur of black and white, their shapes indiscernible. Sora never stopped moving, his feet touching the ice only to jump up again.

Fallen was just barely keeping up but his defence was starting to slip more frequently. Sora's next attack promised a decisive moment. Oblivion plummeted downwards, connecting with Fallen's unprotected left eye. The amount of blood was immense. Fallen was now partially blinded. Sora fell back again, preparing himself for his final attack. This time there would be no hesitating. Sora ran at Fallen, Keyblades aimed at his chest.

That was when Fallen stepped up his game.

Head bowed, Fallen began to laugh. Sora kept running. He wasn't going to miss his chance again. As he ran, he saw Fallen's swords being absorbed into his body, their power becoming his. Thick smog, almost black in colour, curled around his body. Sora skidded to a stop on the ice. He knew something bad was happening. His chance to kill Fallen had passed. Now he had to prepare for whatever was coming. Sora tried to stop it with a blast of Firaga, but the spell disappeared into the smoke without any hint of causing damage. Sora held the Keyblades ahead of him, ready to attack or, more likely, defend himself.

Fallen stepped out of the smog. His eyes shone with yellow light, his whole body tinged a deeper grey. "I told you they'd help me."

He held out his hands, the bones crunching as he moved them impossibly. Sora recognised the ability as Belle's. Then, like Reina, Fallen's hands turned into guns. Sora didn't even try and deflect the bullets. He ran in a circle, hoping that Fallen wouldn't be able to aim fast enough to get him. But Fallen had summoned more Heartless and when Sora ran right through them, their chill brought him to a gasping standstill. That was when a volley of bullets found him, burying themselves in his shoulders. Sora fell to the ice, red blood seeping out of his body. His breath shuddered out, the pain sending fresh bolts of sickness into his stomach and taking his eyes out of focus. His hands tightened around the Keyblades, refusing to let the pain stop him. He had to get up! He blinked hard, forcing his eyes to see properly. He forced his legs to take his weight.

But then Fallen was above him, his hands normal again, reaching out and…

…And reaching into Sora's head…

Sora's body went limp, the Keyblades hanging in his fingers. Everything around him seemed to fade away, no longer seeming important. Cold. That was what Sora felt. It was so cold. And he was tired and in pain and if he just closed his eyes now everything would be…

Dead.

"Back off!"

Sora pulled himself away before Fallen could take over his mind. He swung Oblivion, knocking Fallen's hand away. The bones popped as Fallen's swords grew out his hands. Sora forced the Keyblades between them, throwing Fallen's arms out wide. Ducking forwards, Sora pulled his weapons back and stabbed them both into Fallen's unprotected gut. They dug deep, blood oozing out the holes and over the Keyblades and Sora's hands. Sora moved to Fallen's side, crouching down and not letting the Keyblades go until the last moment, allowing the weapons to fade away as he slid under Fallen and knocked his feet off the ground. Fallen fell onto his back heavily. Sora jumped to his tired feet, called the Keyblades back, spun around and stabbed with both again. This time he got Fallen in the chest, his blood decorating the ice like fallen wings. Fallen coughed, blood bubbling from his lips, but he still had that nasty grin smeared over his face. Before Sora could pull back, every part of Fallen's body aside from his head flipped over. Because Sora's weapons were still buried Fallen's body, he was thrown to one side, landing awkwardly on the ice.

Fallen was above him again, walking through the air just as Jasmine once had. He turned a graceful somersault and seemed to glide down towards Sora, gathering speed as he grew closer. Sora allowed the Keyblades to lift him as Ragnarok carried him upwards, the attacks ringing loudly as they hit Fallen's swords rather than his body. But the beams of energy certainly found their target, each one hitting Fallen and forcing out a cry of pain each time.

Fallen hit the ice, his body bouncing like a broken doll. There was more blood than Sora had seen in his life, creeping silently over the ice. Fallen lay in the centre of the horrific puddle, yellow eyes wide as they glared at the sky in disbelief. His rasping breaths were rapid but choked. His wounds were getting the better of him.

"No." The quiet rage shook his voice and chilled the air.

Exhausted and bleeding, Sora still stood ready. Something else was coming.

Fallen drew in a long, slow breath. Then he let out a wordless, deafening roar, the noise of which echoed and boomed around the desolate world. Sora watched as thousands, no, probably millions of Fallen Heartless suddenly stood on the lake.

 _Looks like they found you!_

"All of them!" Fallen laughed brokenly. "All my Fallen from every world in existence. They want my dream! We will get what we seek!"

Human, animal and experimental in form, the Heartless all began to rush forward, their hungry eyes locked onto Sora. He had time to see Fallen painfully sitting up before the Heartless were on him and Sora had to fight.

He didn't stand a chance.

He hadn't come this far to die.

It was so cold.

He still had the light.

Their bodies were choking him in shadow.

He still had the darkness.

There were hands grabbing his heart.

Light, Dark, his place In-Between.

Beautiful white light sang out of Oathkeeper. Green fire gathered around Oblivion.

"HOLY! ULTIMA!"

The lake was lost beneath a blanket of light, green screaming while white whispered. This time, Sora's Ultima was fused with the darkness he had not only inside himself but from the connection he still shared with his darkest self as well. Ultima's power was further intensified by Oblivion. Holy came from Sora alone, Light forever his greatest strength.

The Keyblades lifted free of Sora's hands, spinning around him as they unleashed all his power, focusing it into waves of Light and Dark. The magic washed over the Fallen Heartless, the crowd fading away one after another until, somehow, absolutely every single one of them was gone.

Except Fallen Sora.

He ran at Sora, blood flying behind him, fists raised because his weapons had also been taken by Light and Dark. He pulled his arm back, letting out an almighty cry of blazing fury.

Sora looked at him sidelong and took hold of Oathkeeper. "It's over."

Fallen impaled himself on the Keyblade. His arms fell to his sides, his face once so full of rage slipping into disbelief. His rage, a remembered emotion anyway, drained away. "No." But his plea was useless now; his sought after dream no longer attainable by his disintegrating hands. His next breath was a sob. "No!"

Sora pulled Oathkeeper back. "I am sorry. I still would've done it, even if I had known, and I'm sorry."

"You did it for her." Fallen fell to his knees even though his body had almost ceased to exist, floating in the air in a collection of grey orbs. "I know," he said, laughing or crying – Sora couldn't tell. "Of course I know. I'm you."

Then Fallen was gone, his mistaken existence over. A portion of the greyness gathered around Sora, chasing itself around him. It entered his heart from behind, Sora letting out a shocked "Whoa!" when he felt the change inside him. It was like something had been missing but he'd never noticed until it had returned.

The light in his heart had a tiny shadow once again.

That was when Oblivion disappeared, Keyblade and Keychain dropping out of Sora's hand. He tried to call it back but to no avail. That Keyblade was gone. Oathkeeper stayed out, yanking Sora around to face the castle. He felt power rising again, a familiar strength pulling itself out of his body and sending it through the Keyblade. Sora grasped Oathkeeper with both hands, closed his eyes and felt the Light shoot out the Keyblade.

It was like flying again. He zoomed over the lake, flying up the castle wall and, with a laugh only he heard, saw his friends watching him…or, rather, the him that was holding the Keyblade on the lake.

He noticed Kairi looking at the real him, her eyes not quite focused right but her expression one of amazement. He didn't know if she could see him, but he smiled anyway. She smiled too, but it was a smile absent of certainty, as if a fleeting emotion or memory brought the expression to her face. It didn't matter. Sora knew Kairi could feel him, even if she couldn't see with her eyes.

When she turned away, Sora focused. Behind his friends, inside the throne room, he could see his true goal. The light of the Keyhole was unbelievable, filling the whole room and starting to go beyond. Sora could see the Keyhole and felt it's call. He nodded in response. Yes, he was here to help. Oathkeeper did the rest, closing the Keyhole off from the In-Between and throwing it open to Light.

The Keyblade's power, so warm in his hands, connected to all the other Keyholes on all the other worlds, filling the broken places with Light again. The Council of Hollow Bastion may have sought to use the connection to destroy the worlds with their misguided weapon, but the Keyblade's intention was pure. Sora was everywhere at once, revisiting worlds and watching their people return to wherever they belonged. It was exhilarating beyond anything Sora had ever known, flashing between every world in the blink of an eye, some he'd never even seen before, but never losing himself. He was watching life begin anew. He could hear a song of joy coming from all the hearts that had always sought Light. Take them home, was the Keyblade's command

Only one world remained untouched. Sora reached out for it but…

…A silent explosion brought him back to the world his body stood on. Light, golden and white, burst out of the castle. Sora found himself back on the lake. Oathkeeper faded and so did the last of his strength. He fell to his knees just as the ice gave way. The cold waters closed over his head but that was okay. Light was taking him back to where he belonged.

"He did it," Kairi breathed. "Again."

That was when the castle ceased to exist. Everyone was surrounded by Light and then they too were falling, falling, falling all the way home.


	61. Chapter 61

All the Roads We Have to Walk: Chapter Sixty-One

Oblivion caught the sword aimed at Sora's legs. Oathkeeper held off the one going for Sora's throat. Deadlocked, both jumped back. Fallen moved first, running forward before jumping high. He lunged at Sora, both his swords aimed for the eyes. Sora rolled out the way, coming up and swinging Oathkeeper in one move. Their weapons screeched against one another. Sora kept pushing forward, ignoring the hideous noise as Oathkeeper ran against Fallen's sword, both attempting to wound the other. Fallen tried to use his other sword to stab Sora, but Sora lifted Oblivion from his side and intercepted the low slash.

Sora's split in concentration lost him the upper hand but it had saved him from injury. He stepped back before swinging into Ars Arcanum, the attack moving him forward and forcing Fallen towards the edge of the castle. His swords moved as fast as Sora's Keyblades, but Sora broke through Fallen's defence. While Oblivion caught both the swords and threw them upwards, Oathkeeper's bright edge caught Fallen's chest and drew a gash right up to his chin. He fell back, black blood splashing down his front and dribbling into the snow. Sora didn't let him recover. He carried on attacking, Oblivion held high so Oathkeeper could be prepared to save its wielder from another attack. The Keyblades spun around, attacking and defending as needed. Fallen clung onto his swords but he didn't have a chance to retaliate, the rapidity of Sora's moves resulting in a defence as flawless as his offence.

But Fallen had plans.

He threw himself at Sora's next attack. Sora hadn't expected it and the sudden weight pinned to his weapons upset the rhythm of his attacks. Fallen didn't attack with his weapons. Instead, he jumped up, spinning around in midair and kicking Sora in the side of the head. Sora stumbled sideways, catching himself on the wall that acted as a barrier between the castle roof and midair. He cried out as he felt something slice into his back, his already torn clothing now bloodstained as well. He had to endure another cut in order to escape Fallen's swords, rolling over and crossing the Keyblades in front of him in time to avoid another injury.

Fallen pressed his advantage as much as Sora had, his style so similar but definitely more violent. He took pleasure in drawing blood as painfully as possible, going in for non-lethal but incredibly agonizing attacks whenever he thought he could score a hit. Sora moved fast too, but now he was slipping and sliding backwards over the snow, ducking and leaping blows when his Keyblades couldn't catch them in time. Feeling confident, Fallen's attacks became wilder, his swords lashing out without a thought for strategy. At first Sora had to move faster to keep up, often having to lever the swords over both their heads before twisting his whole body around to throw his other self off. It was energy consuming but the pattern to Fallen's careless attacks was becoming clearer.

When Sora discerned the weak spot in Fallen's offensive, he crouched down and swung Oblivion upwards horizontally, using the whole of the Keyblade to attack. Fallen caught it with both his weapons, just as Sora hoped he would. Fallen's advantage was broken, his concentration lost. He'd neglected to remember Oathkeeper and took a heavy knock to the stomach. Winded, he staggered several steps back.

Unexpectedly, Fallen began to laugh. One hand (and sword) still held to his winded stomach, Fallen came to a stand still completely undefended. "You're more of a challenge when you're fighting at full strength. Good, beating you will prove, once and for all, that I deserve to exist more than you!" Eyes maniacal, he held Sora's gaze as he paced around the Keyblade Master. "Why don't we end it where it all began?"

 _The place was strange._

"We're already standing in my dream," Sora replied, turning as Fallen walked behind him.

"True, but this place didn't always take centre stage in that weird head of yours."

 _Standing on water._

Sora's eyes flickered with understanding. "Again?" He said, trying not to sound too reluctant.

Fallen smirked and chuckled. "Yes, again." His swords faded. Sora held himself ready but he couldn't react in time to Fallen's next move. Fallen shot forward so fast, his body became a blur. Sora felt a hand land on his chest. At first he noticed nothing. Briefly he heard a burst of laughter from Fallen but it became increasingly distant. That was when Sora realised his feet were no longer touching the ground. He flew head over heels backwards, over the edge of the castle and back down towards the lake, alive this time but not for long if he didn't control his plummet.

He cast Aeroga, the winds wrapping around him and helping him flip over. He slowed his fall just in time, landing lightly on the ice. He looked up. Fallen was there, his swords stretched out. Sora dodged both, only to feel an intense chill pass through him.

Fallen had summoned his ghostly Heartless.

"Their proper designation is Fallen Heartless."

Sora cut one down with Oathkeeper, a second with Oblivion and dodged a punch from a third. "I'll be sure to remember that," he muttered.

Fallen sent his Heartless in first, planning to wound or distract Sora long enough for him to score a decisive blow. But Sora took down the remaining Fallen Heartless with ease; killing the final three with a spinning slash. However, the Heartless were enough of a distraction for Fallen to disappear. Sora looked around in confusion, turning a full circle and looking up. Where had his In-Between self gone?

It never occurred to him to look down. Only when the ice gave a groan did Sora suspect what was going to happen. He had no chance of getting out the way as Fallen attacked from below. Sora was thrown backwards, ice breaking beneath him as Fallen cut it away and slashed at his feet.

Tumbling over saved Sora, his trainers protecting him from severe cuts. But another attack like that would slice his feet in two and Fallen was still below the lake, his swords spiking through the ice with barely any warning. Sora was relying more heavily on his Glide ability, but it didn't take Fallen long to wise up to that. The ice itself became Fallen's new weapon, his swords cutting out great chunks before sending them shooting into the sky. Sora had to dodge the massive slabs of ice, some the same size as him. Several times the ice grazed his skin. Twice he took a hit that threw him to the ground, and Sora would have to cut himself free and quickly jump back into the air to avoid being stabbed from below. After evading numerous attacks, even though the ice froze over moments after it had been broken apart, Sora realised how he could force Fallen out of the lake.

Landing, Sora thrust both his Keyblades through the ice. Thundaga finished his move. Lightning burst out in the lake. Fallen threw himself through the ice, his shadowy body flickering as the magic coursed through him.

"I was wondering when you'd try that," he said, bone dry despite being submerged for so many minutes. "Took you long enough."

Fallen said nothing else. Swords appearing in his hands again, Fallen attacked. He threw his arms out wide and held his swords down low, the tips of his blades scoring the unbroken ice. Sora raised the Keyblades before Sonic Blade sent him across the ice, faster than he had gone before thanks to the lack of friction. He hit Fallen with each repetition of the attack, black blood spattering on the ice with each new wound.

Despite his wounds, Fallen timed his revenge perfectly. Sora saw what would happen but he was moving too fast to stop. The final cycle of Sonic Blade still cut Fallen but his swords were out and Sora couldn't dodge them. Two deep gashes were torn into his stomach, the cold stabbing into them mercilessly. Sora skidded to a stop, instinctively raising Oathkeeper behind him and catching one of Fallen's swords. The cuts on his stomach tore wider as Sora raised both his arms over his head to keep Fallen's weapons away. He threw himself into a backwards somersault, passing over Fallen's head. Once on his feet again, Sora's Keyblades raised up, cross-slashing Fallen's back. His suit tore and Sora kicked him, knocking Fallen to his knees.

Sora held Oathkeeper and Oblivion on either side of Fallen's neck. The final move was at hand.

"Can't you finish me off?"

Sora jerked, the Keyblades slipping a little. He let out a quiet, confused "Uh?" before his eyes slid down to the source of the excruciating pain. Seeing the sight made it worse still, the image flipping his stomach.

"I suppose you can't."

Having a sword stabbed through his thigh was definitely making things hard for Sora.

The last of the Heartless was taken down by Tifa, her booted foot sending it crashing and then sinking into a wall. The young woman seemed to be getting revenge for the attack she had suffered earlier, having killed the last Heartless with an especially powerful kick.

"And again I am reminded to never get on Tifa's bad side," Zidane muttered as he tucked his daggers away.

Cloud merely smiled. He knew better than to pass comment, as did Red and Barret.

They regrouped, Yuna and Kairi coming out from behind the throne.

"Is everyone all right?" Kairi asked, her eyes checking everyone else for injuries.

"We all seem fine," Red replied, sitting on his hind legs calmly. "We have been most fortunate."

Kairi's eyes returned to the broken window. "We should go and make sure he's all right."

"Can't you tell from here?" Red asked before anyone else could make a comment.

Kairi met his gaze. "Of course. But sometimes, I like to have my eyes tell me what my heart already knows."

Zidane laughed, the sound ever so slightly bitter. "Don't we all."

"Sora's gonna be fine Kairi!" Yuna promised, holding onto Kairi's good hand. "Anyway, you gotta stay here and get your arm mended 'cause otherwise Sora will see and tell us all off for not taking better care of you."

"What happened to your arm?" Tifa demanded.

Kairi stuttered out an answer. "I-I-I um… sort've… uh… broke i-it…"

Tifa stepped over and carefully took hold of Kairi's arm. She called to Red who quickly used Scan, confirming the diagnosis of a break. "Hold on," Tifa said, "I'll use Cure to lessen the pain. I don't know what we can make a splint out of though…"

A flash of white light took all their thoughts away. Turning, the group saw a speck of unmarred brightness blossoming on the cracked ground, widening until it took the shape of the world's Keyhole. Golden light began to shimmer around it, warming even the snowy air.

"It must know the Keyblade is here," Cloud observed.

"It's calling out," Red added. "This world wishes to be restored to Light."

"Or Dark," Cloud said.

"Always lookin' on the grim side ain't ya?" Barret said.

Kairi walked over and held her right hand into the light. The power she felt was unmistakable; it resonated in her heart. "Light," she said. "Light from our Universe. This is it!" Kairi looked at the others, meeting their eyes one by one. "This is a connection to home!"

The light continued to shimmer, growing brighter and encompassing more and more space. It chased the shadows away and set the snow and ice running free.

"I never thought about it before but I suppose we are all in the wrong universe," Tifa commented. "Life was hard in the past, sure, but it was never like this." She waved a hand at their broken surroundings. "This place, for however long we've been here, has always been empty of so many things."

"Makes you wonder jes' how long we've been 'ere," Barret said.

"For me, it's been nine years since my world was taken by the Heartless," Cloud said. "But…" he held a hand to his head. "That doesn't feel right any more."

"Perhaps nothing is as real as we think it is," Red commented.

"Don't add to our headaches," Zidane said, nudging Red with a foot.

Red moved out of Zidane's range. "Then I shall put it simply. Our lives have been… altered, shall we say, to fit a larger scheme."

"Comfortin'," Barret muttered.

"Wonder why we ended up here," Zidane mused.

"I'm sure a little research would reveal the reasons," Red answered, his front paws batting at the light so it would break into new swirls.

"You just can't wait to hit the books again huh?"

"One of us has to know how to read Zidane."

"Hey!"

Kairi couldn't help but laugh, the arguing reminding her of two other boys who baited each other just the same. She looked up at the sky again, water pattering over her face as the snow turned to rain when the light touched it. Sora was out there fighting, and so was Riku back at the castle in the Light Universe. She would do whatever she could to help her two friends reunite… so they could fight like they used to.

Well, perhaps not exactly like they used to, Kairi thought when the recent past sprung to mind.

"So, what are we gonna do?" Yuna's voice broke through Kairi's thoughts.

"We're going to stay here," Tifa replied, looking at Kairi and waiting for the protest.

But Kairi nodded. "You're right. Sora will be back soon and then we can all go home." Her held her right hand to her chest, her heart beating faster. "Everything's going to be fine," she said, even as a thread of anxiety tried to break down her faith.

The golden incandescence continued to dance, the Keyhole glimmering in the dew.

"Still," Zidane said, looking up at the skylight. "It would be kinda cool to watch a showdown. How many times to you get to watch someone fight their doppelganger?"

"Zidane…" Tifa began.

"I too would love the chance to witness such a unique phenomena," Red said, standing by Zidane.

Barret nodded. "Beats standin' doin' nuthin'."

"Can I watch too? Can I? I'm feeling much better now! I look better, don't I Kairi?"

The redhead nodded. "Much."

"Then let's go." And Cloud stood ready to help everyone back up to the roof.

"What happened to just believing?" Tifa asked Kairi.

Kairi shrugged with a smile. "It's always better to keep an eye on him."

Sora's other leg was still free and he hit out at Fallen, his foot connecting with Fallen's chin and knocking his head back. Grinding his teeth against the pain, Sora held his good foot on the side of Fallen's face before ripping his other leg free of the sword skewering it. Blood hissed as it splattered and melted the ice. Curaga did its best to take the edge off the pain, but Sora was still limping.

Fallen threw him off, flipping back to his feet and holding his swords ready. His posture was mirrored by Sora; both were crouched and tensed to move in a split second.

Sora only had an instant to react when Fallen cast Ultima. Having no hope of deflecting or evading the magic, he had to cast it himself. Two storms of green fire screamed at the other, clashing as both tried to overpower their identical enemy. But it was Sora's who fell short and his magic died in the onslaught of Fallen's. However, he'd had time to think of another plan, and as the thankfully weakened Ultima sent him flying backwards over the ice, the Keyblades left Sora's hands, Strike Raid carrying them away. Still distracted by Ultima's green blaze, Fallen only managed to deflect Oathkeeper. Oblivion still hit him hard, drawing yet more black blood from his body. Strike Raid's follow-up attacks all failed to hit their target, Fallen moving closer to Sora with each deflection. Soon they were exchanging blows again, moving back and forth as they sought to kill one another.

Fallen's attack was led with his right-handed sword, jabbing and lancing at Sora's defence before springing a surprise attack with the left-handed sword. Sora tried to hold his ground while throwing Fallen's attacks away, but the swings from the left were always hard to anticipate, meaning Sora slid backwards whether he meant to or not. Sora also had to keep putting his weight on his damaged left leg, the pain greatly numbed but still a source of much discomfort. His leg would tremble if he put too much weight on it too fast. Fallen was well aware of the disadvantage Sora's weak leg caused, so he was putting more weight and power behind each blow, hoping the pressure would break Sora's strength down.

Fallen raised both his swords, bringing them down towards Sora's shoulders. Sora raised Oblivion, catching both of Fallen's weapons and feeling the power shake all the way up his arm. Sora spun around to free himself from Fallen's swords, knocking Oathkeeper's hilt into Fallen's throat and rotating Oblivion so that the black Keyblade could attack from below. Fallen's wounds were really mounting now, the blood he trailed thicker than ever. Now that Sora was in control again, he kept an even pace with his moves so he avoided wasting energy. He only sped up when he saw an opening he could exploit.

It was working – Sora kept forcing Fallen's steps backwards. Even when Sora's tempo was slow, the Keyblades never stayed still, spinning around for momentum when Sora wasn't attacking with them.

Sora crouched down and Fallen's defence followed, the swords aimed ready to pass over the Keyblades and dig into Sora's body. But Sora changed tactics and jumped high, Fallen unable to keep up with the sudden move. Sora then attacked from the front, twisting in midair to hit Fallen with Oblivion before Sora darted around his wounded other self to attack from behind. The Keyblades were often a blur of black and white, their shapes indiscernible. Sora never stopped moving, his feet touching the ice only to jump up again.

Fallen was just barely keeping up but his defence was starting to slip more frequently. Sora's next attack promised a decisive moment. Oblivion plummeted downwards, connecting with Fallen's unprotected left eye. The amount of blood was immense. Fallen was now partially blinded. Sora fell back again, preparing himself for his final attack. This time there would be no hesitating. Sora ran at Fallen, Keyblades aimed at his chest.

That was when Fallen stepped up his game.

Head bowed, Fallen began to laugh. Sora kept running. He wasn't going to miss his chance again. As he ran, he saw Fallen's swords being absorbed into his body, their power becoming his. Thick smog, almost black in colour, curled around his body. Sora skidded to a stop on the ice. He knew something bad was happening. His chance to kill Fallen had passed. Now he had to prepare for whatever was coming. Sora tried to stop it with a blast of Firaga, but the spell disappeared into the smoke without any hint of causing damage. Sora held the Keyblades ahead of him, ready to attack or, more likely, defend himself.

Fallen stepped out of the smog. His eyes shone with yellow light, his whole body tinged a deeper grey. "I told you they'd help me."

He held out his hands, the bones crunching as he moved them impossibly. Sora recognised the ability as Belle's. Then, like Reina, Fallen's hands turned into guns. Sora didn't even try and deflect the bullets. He ran in a circle, hoping that Fallen wouldn't be able to aim fast enough to get him. But Fallen had summoned more Heartless and when Sora ran right through them, their chill brought him to a gasping standstill. That was when a volley of bullets found him, burying themselves in his shoulders. Sora fell to the ice, red blood seeping out of his body. His breath shuddered out, the pain sending fresh bolts of sickness into his stomach and taking his eyes out of focus. His hands tightened around the Keyblades, refusing to let the pain stop him. He had to get up! He blinked hard, forcing his eyes to see properly. He forced his legs to take his weight.

But then Fallen was above him, his hands normal again, reaching out and…

…And reaching into Sora's head…

Sora's body went limp, the Keyblades hanging in his fingers. Everything around him seemed to fade away, no longer seeming important. Cold. That was what Sora felt. It was so cold. And he was tired and in pain and if he just closed his eyes now everything would be…

Dead.

"Back off!"

Sora pulled himself away before Fallen could take over his mind. He swung Oblivion, knocking Fallen's hand away. The bones popped as Fallen's swords grew out his hands. Sora forced the Keyblades between them, throwing Fallen's arms out wide. Ducking forwards, Sora pulled his weapons back and stabbed them both into Fallen's unprotected gut. They dug deep, blood oozing out the holes and over the Keyblades and Sora's hands. Sora moved to Fallen's side, crouching down and not letting the Keyblades go until the last moment, allowing the weapons to fade away as he slid under Fallen and knocked his feet off the ground. Fallen fell onto his back heavily. Sora jumped to his tired feet, called the Keyblades back, spun around and stabbed with both again. This time he got Fallen in the chest, his blood decorating the ice like fallen wings. Fallen coughed, blood bubbling from his lips, but he still had that nasty grin smeared over his face. Before Sora could pull back, every part of Fallen's body aside from his head flipped over. Because Sora's weapons were still buried Fallen's body, he was thrown to one side, landing awkwardly on the ice.

Fallen was above him again, walking through the air just as Jasmine once had. He turned a graceful somersault and seemed to glide down towards Sora, gathering speed as he grew closer. Sora allowed the Keyblades to lift him as Ragnarok carried him upwards, the attacks ringing loudly as they hit Fallen's swords rather than his body. But the beams of energy certainly found their target, each one hitting Fallen and forcing out a cry of pain each time.

Fallen hit the ice, his body bouncing like a broken doll. There was more blood than Sora had seen in his life, creeping silently over the ice. Fallen lay in the centre of the horrific puddle, yellow eyes wide as they glared at the sky in disbelief. His rasping breaths were rapid but choked. His wounds were getting the better of him.

"No." The quiet rage shook his voice and chilled the air.

Exhausted and bleeding, Sora still stood ready. Something else was coming.

Fallen drew in a long, slow breath. Then he let out a wordless, deafening roar, the noise of which echoed and boomed around the desolate world. Sora watched as thousands, no, probably millions of Fallen Heartless suddenly stood on the lake.

 _Looks like they found you!_

"All of them!" Fallen laughed brokenly. "All my Fallen from every world in existence. They want my dream! We will get what we seek!"

Human, animal and experimental in form, the Heartless all began to rush forward, their hungry eyes locked onto Sora. He had time to see Fallen painfully sitting up before the Heartless were on him and Sora had to fight.

He didn't stand a chance.

He hadn't come this far to die.

It was so cold.

He still had the light.

Their bodies were choking him in shadow.

He still had the darkness.

There were hands grabbing his heart.

Light, Dark, his place In-Between.

Beautiful white light sang out of Oathkeeper. Green fire gathered around Oblivion.

"HOLY! ULTIMA!"

The lake was lost beneath a blanket of light, green screaming while white whispered. This time, Sora's Ultima was fused with the darkness he had not only inside himself but from the connection he still shared with his darkest self as well. Ultima's power was further intensified by Oblivion. Holy came from Sora alone, Light forever his greatest strength.

The Keyblades lifted free of Sora's hands, spinning around him as they unleashed all his power, focusing it into waves of Light and Dark. The magic washed over the Fallen Heartless, the crowd fading away one after another until, somehow, absolutely every single one of them was gone.

Except Fallen Sora.

He ran at Sora, blood flying behind him, fists raised because his weapons had also been taken by Light and Dark. He pulled his arm back, letting out an almighty cry of blazing fury.

Sora looked at him sidelong and took hold of Oathkeeper. "It's over."

Fallen impaled himself on the Keyblade. His arms fell to his sides, his face once so full of rage slipping into disbelief. His rage, a remembered emotion anyway, drained away. "No." But his plea was useless now; his sought after dream no longer attainable by his disintegrating hands. His next breath was a sob. "No!"

Sora pulled Oathkeeper back. "I am sorry. I still would've done it, even if I had known, and I'm sorry."

"You did it for her." Fallen fell to his knees even though his body had almost ceased to exist, floating in the air in a collection of grey orbs. "I know," he said, laughing or crying – Sora couldn't tell. "Of course I know. I'm you."

Then Fallen was gone, his mistaken existence over. A portion of the greyness gathered around Sora, chasing itself around him. It entered his heart from behind, Sora letting out a shocked "Whoa!" when he felt the change inside him. It was like something had been missing but he'd never noticed until it had returned.

The light in his heart had a tiny shadow once again.

That was when Oblivion disappeared, Keyblade and Keychain dropping out of Sora's hand. He tried to call it back but to no avail. That Keyblade was gone. Oathkeeper stayed out, yanking Sora around to face the castle. He felt power rising again, a familiar strength pulling itself out of his body and sending it through the Keyblade. Sora grasped Oathkeeper with both hands, closed his eyes and felt the Light shoot out the Keyblade.

It was like flying again. He zoomed over the lake, flying up the castle wall and, with a laugh only he heard, saw his friends watching him…or, rather, the him that was holding the Keyblade on the lake.

He noticed Kairi looking at the real him, her eyes not quite focused right but her expression one of amazement. He didn't know if she could see him, but he smiled anyway. She smiled too, but it was a smile absent of certainty, as if a fleeting emotion or memory brought the expression to her face. It didn't matter. Sora knew Kairi could feel him, even if she couldn't see with her eyes.

When she turned away, Sora focused. Behind his friends, inside the throne room, he could see his true goal. The light of the Keyhole was unbelievable, filling the whole room and starting to go beyond. Sora could see the Keyhole and felt it's call. He nodded in response. Yes, he was here to help. Oathkeeper did the rest, closing the Keyhole off from the In-Between and throwing it open to Light.

The Keyblade's power, so warm in his hands, connected to all the other Keyholes on all the other worlds, filling the broken places with Light again. The Council of Hollow Bastion may have sought to use the connection to destroy the worlds with their misguided weapon, but the Keyblade's intention was pure. Sora was everywhere at once, revisiting worlds and watching their people return to wherever they belonged. It was exhilarating beyond anything Sora had ever known, flashing between every world in the blink of an eye, some he'd never even seen before, but never losing himself. He was watching life begin anew. He could hear a song of joy coming from all the hearts that had always sought Light. Take them home, was the Keyblade's command

Only one world remained untouched. Sora reached out for it but…

…A silent explosion brought him back to the world his body stood on. Light, golden and white, burst out of the castle. Sora found himself back on the lake. Oathkeeper faded and so did the last of his strength. He fell to his knees just as the ice gave way. The cold waters closed over his head but that was okay. Light was taking him back to where he belonged.

"He did it," Kairi breathed. "Again."

That was when the castle ceased to exist. Everyone was surrounded by Light and then they too were falling, falling, falling all the way home.


	62. Chapter 62

All the Roads We Have to Walk

End of the Road

They had been all around the castle and hadn't found a single Heartless. The group decided that they were finally safe again and called off the patrol. Leon had sent the soldiers to their dorms, telling them to get some rest before the big clean up began.

Typical, really, that something happened a minute after he had done that.

Leon and Riku were heading back to the library when a loud boom came from beyond the throne room's doors. They approached the door cautiously, preparing themselves for anything that might come running out.

"Ready?" Leon asked.

Riku nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

Both grabbed their weapons and, on the count of three, Leon threw the door open. Riku ran through first, ready to take down whatever Heartless threw itself at him.

But there were no Heartless. Instead, Riku and Leon found a bright light shimmering in the air and a collection of people, seven in total, all flat on their backs… well almost all of them were. One, a large lion-like creature, was resting on his side.

But Riku was already too distracted by someone else to notice the non-human member of the group. "Kairi!" He hurried to her side. Riku shook her and called out again but she was unresponsive. He turned to Leon. "You'd better go get Aerith."

Leon agreed and took off at a run.

Night had fallen. The stars shone cheerily over Disney Castle, completely ignorant of the destruction the world had seen. What didn't lie in ruins only served to show how bad the damage was. It was going to take a lot to restore the once proud castle to its former glory. For now however, people were resting and recuperating from the harsh battle.

But not everyone was in bed where they belonged.

"Now Donald, ya really oughta…"

"I'm fine."

"Well sure, I hear ya, but ya don't wanna push…"

"I said I'm fine Goofy! You're the one who shouldn't be pushing himself!"

It was true that Goofy was struggling to keep up with Donald's rapid pace. That was very unusual, given their stark difference in leg length.

"The King said he'd come back to your room when he made sure everyone was okay…"

"I don't care!"

And Goofy fell silent then, because he too wanted to make sure everyone else was all right. Well, one person in particular.

But when they reached the hall, they soon discovered that Sora wasn't among the recently returned, all of who were now resting under blankets. Donald and Goofy shared a disappointed look. And they'd been so looking forward to a reunion.

Mickey, who ensured Aerith was all right to check out the group's injuries alone for a moment, hurried over to his friends. Smiling up at the pair, he said, "Don't worry you two. If Sora's not here, it may be because he returned to the world he left from. He may have sent them all back here because he knew they'd be safe. Or, rather, the Keyblade probably chose that because it knew."

"Then I guess we gotta get right back to Brighthelmston!" Goofy said.

"Sure, but can you remember how to get there?" Donald asked.

"Uh, well, let me see now. It was a right turn after Hollow Bastion. Um, another right after Neverland…"

Donald just sighed.

It took Kairi all of five seconds to demand to know where Sora was after she woke up the following morning. Upon finding that he wasn't in the room, she immediately began to panic. But she was determined not to cry so instead she decided to glare at people – a fierce look she reserved for very special use only.

"Kairi, it's okay," Goofy said with his calm smile and friendly tone. "We can go and find him."

"I'm coming with you!" She struggled to get to her feet but Aerith's hand on her shoulder kept her quite firmly on the ground. "Please! I have to! Let me go with them."

"Kairi you've got a broken arm and you're exhausted," Aerith said calmly. "You have to stay here. Besides, you're the only one who's awake and I need to know everything." Because Aerith was overjoyed to see her friends again after years of not knowing where they were. "And maybe I'll need your help, once you've rested."

"Donald and Goofy are worse off than I am!" Kairi's counter-argument was quite true.

"That's as may be," Donald said, still managing to look stern despite the visible strain around his eyes. "But we're the ones that lost Sora so we'll be the ones to find out where he went off to."

"But why isn't he here like the rest of us?" Kairi said worriedly. "What if something happened? What if he got left behind? What if…"

"Everything will be fine Kairi, you'll see," Goofy promised. "We reckon we know where Sora is. We just gotta get there."

"Don't ya'll worry 'bout that." Cid, covered in oil, came strolling into the throne room. He took care to avoid stepping on the bright red carpet in his messy state. "I found a coupla ships that are ready to go. Take yer pick." He almost sauntered off but the shock of seeing the other new arrivals forced him to stay. "Well I'll be!" he said, wiping his thumb under his nose. "Almost all together again, hey Aerith?"

"Almost," she agreed with a smile.

"Told Yuffie yet?"

"Oh!"

Cid laughed. "Dontcha worry, I'll let her know once I get cleaned up. You stay here." And off he went.

"Ready Goofy?" Donald said. "We should get going right away."

"Right you are Donald."

"We'll be back soon Kairi," Donald promised.

"I wish you'd let me come. I'm just as worried as you are!"

"No you're not," Goofy said. "You're probably more worried. But that don't mean we're gonna let you come. You gotta stay and rest that arm of yours." He gave a wave and headed off. "See ya'll later!"

Once they were gone, Kairi gasped as another thought hit her. "Where's Riku? He was here when I left. Is he okay? He isn't hurt is he?"

"He isn't hurt," Aerith said. "He was fine when I last saw him yesterday."

Kairi looked relieved. "So he is here then. Can I go and see him at least?"

"No, Kairi." Aerith looked up and saw Leon walking in. "You can't see him." She held up a hand when Kairi tried to argue. "He's not here. He left last night. No one knows where he is. The King didn't seem worried though so wherever he is, I'm sure he'll be fine."

The familiar frustration of being left behind swelled within Kairi, but she fought it away. "Maybe he went to find Sora."

"Yeah," Leon said, trying to sound optimistic for once. "He's probably worried about his friend."

"I'm sure that's what he did," Aerith added as she helped Kairi lift her arm into a sling. "Riku will come back."

"Brighthelmston," Donald said in a thoughtful tone as he and Goofy walked through the town. "It's been… it's been… uuuuh…"

"A real long time," Goofy supplied.

"Yeah."

So far their search of the town and beaches had turned up nothing. It was Goofy who, after the pair had stopped for a rest on a beachfront café, realised that they were looking in the wrong place.

"The King said that Sora would go back to where he left from, and that was the island where the Keyhole was."

That was their destination. Normally Donald would have summoned a raft with his magic, but he was under strict orders (from Aerith and Merlin, who was similarly stricken) to not exert himself under any circumstance.

It was fortunate that Captain Dan remembered them and was only too willing to help them. He and his ship were soon taking Donald and Goofy over to the island, the Captain asking all sorts of questions and promising the pair that no further trouble had befallen the town since their last visit.

Donald and Goofy were trying not to get too excited. There was still a chance Sora wouldn't be here after all. But it was hard not to hope for the best, especially as Captain Dan pulled the ship into a natural dock and the anchor was dropped.

"We'll wait for yeh," the Captain assured the pair as they walked down the plank and back onto dry land. "Best've luck."

The island, where the Keyhole had been before, was small and covered in trees. It wasn't used by the townspeople for anything other than relaxing days out and the local council had strict rules protecting it from manmade destruction. Covering it wouldn't take long so Donald and Goofy split up, Donald heading left and Goofy heading right. They both began calling out to Sora, hoping but failing to hear a reply.

"If only I could use magic," Donald grumbled loud enough for Goofy to hear. "We'd know in a jiffy!"

Half an hour later, Goofy pushed his way through the last of the bush and found himself on the beach on the other side of the island. He held a hand over his eyes as they swept across the pebbled shoreline.

"Sora!"

Goofy, his injury forgotten, ran over the stony beach. His cry had alerted Donald who also came running, bursting out of the bushes at speeds he rarely reached on such short legs.

Sora was lying face down on the beach, his legs still being washed over by the tide. Goofy knelt down, cautiously rolling Sora onto his back. The boy was senseless, breathing but pale with utter exhaustion. His wet brown hair clung to his skull, uncharacteristically limp. His clothes, aside from being soaking wet, were torn and bloodstained from wounds that seemed to have fully healed aside from a few telltale bruises. At some point Sora had also lost a shoe, his bare foot marred with nasty scars. Goofy and Donald had never seen their young friend in such a dishevelled state.

"Sora?"

Goofy and Donald carefully lifted the boy until he was sitting, slumped, in Goofy's arms. Sora's brow creased into a frown and with a soft sigh he came awake. He raised a heavy arm to rub the water and hair out his eyes. When he looked around properly, he saw Donald and Goofy and let out a happy cry.

"You're here!" He hugged them with all the strength he had, tears of relief splashing over his cheeks. "It's you! It's really you…" He held on to his friends for a long time, and they hugged him back. Sora was crying, from relief and happiness and so many other emotions. It was quite a while before he pulled his arms back and held his hands to his face. He was shaking. "It's over…"

"Sora? Are you okay?" Donald asked.

A haunted look passed through Sora's eyes. He shook it off for the sake of his friends and managed something that resembled a smile. "I'm just a little tired. It's okay."

"A little tired," Donald stated sceptically.

"Fine, lots tired. Oh! Is Kairi okay?"

"She's fine, you don't need to worry about her," Donald assured him. "She's safe at the castle."

"Do you think you can stand?" Goofy asked. "Captain Dan's got the boat on the other side of the island. We can go back to the castle. Everyone's there."

"Boat. Other side. Castle. Everyone… Everyone!"

"Yup, and even Riku!" Goofy said.

"Riku… came back! Really?"

"Yup, come on. Let's go Sora."

A happy smile lit up Sora's haggard face. "Okay!" And he pushed himself up, stumbling until Goofy caught him and steadied his balance. "Thanks. I'm only a little tired."

"A lot tired!" Donald squawked.

"I'll be fine soon, promise."

"We know," said Donald, reaching out and patting Sora's hand. "C'mon, I'll lead the way. Shake a leg Sora!"

"Don't I have two?"

"Sure ya do. One at each corner," Goofy replied, tugging Sora back towards the boat.

"Mm, right."

"Sora?"

"I'm awake."

Goofy caught Sora before he fell back down. "I'd say we need to move a bit faster, don't you?"

"I don't like fast."

"Don't whine Sora," Donald groaned.

"Not whinin'."

Donald and Goofy had to keep talking to Sora to keep him awake, although he seemed to be able to sleep and walk quite well so long as they didn't let him doze longer than ten seconds.

"Kairi's waiting for you," Donald said, hoping this would spur one of Sora's more energetic reactions. "She'll get mad at you if you don't hurry."

"I like Kairi."

"That's right," Goofy said, chuckling at his dozy friend. "She's very special to you."

"There were two of her as well. Did I do that?"

Goofy looked at Donald, who shrugged. "Must be sleep talk," the wizard answered.

"Well, there's only one now and she wants to see you very soon," Goofy told Sora.

"Yeah, I wonder what happened to the other one. Never mind. I'll see Kairi soon. Oh, but mad Kairi is bad. Let's hurry." Sora didn't speed up.

They carried on in almost silence, Sora muttering so quietly under his breath the words were like a hum. Then, quite suddenly, he burst out with an "Oh!" as his memory reminded him of something very important that he had to share with someone. "I saw all the worlds at once y'know."

"Did you?" Goofy asked in the polite tone of someone who thought the other wasn't quite with it.

"Oh yeah. I was sorta floating and flying."

"All at once?" Donald said. "How?"

Sora shrugged. He didn't care about how's. "I saw 'em all, just like I always said I would."

By the time they got back to the boat, Sora was leaning heavily on Goofy, no longer able to hold up his own weight alone. He kept saying strange things about people Donald and Goofy didn't know but, more often that not, his words were too garbled to understand.

"Did he always make this much sense?" Donald muttered.

Goofy just laughed, not caring if Sora was talking about nonsense. All that mattered to him was that his friend was back in one piece, albeit one very exhausted piece.

Captain Dan showed the trio to a small cabin and left them so he could get the boat back to the town. Well, he showed Donald and Goofy – Sora had his eyes shut. Goofy directed Sora to the bed and Sora fell into it, his hands reaching blindly for the sheets that he soon had pulled up to his chin. Curled up under the blankets, Sora had a surprising moment of clarity.

"I really missed you guys," he said, looking at Donald and Goofy with bleary eyes. "I thought maybe you got lost but you were here all along," the end of that sentence had taken on a singsong quality. Sora didn't say anything else. He finally realised he was in a bed and was allowed to sleep properly.

"I wonder what we do now," Goofy said as he sat on one of the cabin's other beds. He didn't need to speak quietly. Nothing short of a world exploding was going to wake Sora up.

Donald sat down as well. "Maybe the King will know."

"We all need to rest for a while," Goofy said. "And the castle needs to be rebuilt. Maybe we can stay there and help out for a while."

"Maybe."

Goofy watched his sleeping friend thoughtfully, noticing the changes. Sora's hair was wilder than before but tinged a definitely lighter shade of brown – almost blond in places. And he certainly hadn't failed to hear the lowered pitch of his friend's voice either. But teenage growth spurts weren't really what concerned Goofy. "What d'ya reckon happened while Sora was gone?"

"Dunno. Maybe he'll tell us later." Donald looked at Sora, who had flopped onto his stomach and buried himself beneath the covers so even his head was blanketed. "He got taller though huh?"

"He sure did! I dunno where we'll find clothes to fit him…"

"Yuna… what are you trying to do?"

"I'm baking!"

"Yeah… I see that. I'm just wondering what you're trying to bake."

"A cake for Sora!"

"Um, I think you're gonna need a little help."

"No I don't, I'm fine!"

"Yuna, you don't put the whole egg in… you have to crack it and get rid of the shell."

"Huh? But that doesn't seem very right."

Zidane sighed and picked up an apron for himself. "I'll tell you what, we'll start again and make it together okay?"

"Okay!" And Yuna's mixture of sugar, butter and eggshells went in the dustbin.

"Don't forget to not use sprinkles."

Zidane and Yuna turned to see Kairi walking through the kitchens. She smiled at them both and sat down on a chair beside their work surface, her broken arm resting in a white sling. "Sora doesn't like sprinkles. But he likes chocolate."

"I like chocolate too!" Yuna cheered. "Let's make a chocolate cake Zidane! Do you know how?"

"Of course I know how. I know almost everything."

"Only almost?" Kairi asked with a giggle.

"Well I'm too young to know everything, but I'm getting there," Zidane said as he began searching the castle's impressively large kitchen for all the ingredients.

"When Sora comes back, we can have a party!" Yuna said, bouncing up and down. "And everyone can come! Ooh and I can make Sora's hair look pretty."

"Pretty?" Kairi asked, wondering how anyone could do anything with Sora's mass of hair.

"Uh huh! I got to tie it in bunches once and…"

Kairi burst out with laughter.

Zidane smirked as he returned with cake ingredients. "Oho, that's not all we got up to."

Kairi's eyes sparkled. "Tell me everything!"

"Everything?" Zidane rolled up his sleeves. "Well, how about we start with how we found him way back when in Traverse Town…"

 _There was no castle, no lake, no broken world to stand in._

 _This was all new._

 _He stood in an old forest, the trees towering over him, their green leaves rustling as the wind tried to tear them from their branches. The sky above was orange, twilit, lightly clouded but otherwise perfect. Everything seemed to sway around him._

 _Around them._

 _But he was tired to the very core of his being, and this would all have to wait. He told the figures in his dream the same thing as he walked away._

 _"You can wait. I'm taking a break."_

 _Sora simply slept, a smile tilting the corners of his mouth._

 _ **End of the Road.**_


End file.
